Sennen RNLI reach climber after 30ft fall at Pedn-men-du

Thirty feet is a long way down a Cornish cliff. A rock climber went that distance at Pedn-men-du on Friday morning, and the reason she did not reach the bottom was the rope she was tied into.

By quarter to eleven there was a lifeboat in the water, two coastguard teams on the road and a helicopter tasked.

The call at 10.45am

Sennen Cove’s lifeboat volunteers were tasked by HM Coastguard Falmouth at 10.45 on the morning of Friday 14 August, following reports that a rock climber had fallen at Pedn-men-du.

She had fallen around 30 feet, and her safety rope halted the fall. That prevented a serious impact at the base of the cliff, but she had suffered head and shoulder injuries.

The D class inshore lifeboat Arangy launched with a crew of four under the command of RNLI volunteer Izzy Puddiphatt. Penzance and Land’s End Coastguard Search and Rescue Teams, a crew from South Western Ambulance Service and Cornwall Air Ambulance were tasked to the scene as well.

A brother and sister put ashore

The inshore lifeboat was first to arrive at Pedn-men-du. RNLI volunteers Tristan and Tamsyn Gorvin, who are brother and sister, were placed ashore to assess the faller’s condition and begin casualty care.

The tide that worked in their favour

With the tide approaching low water, the other emergency services were able to walk around the base of the cliff to the casualty, guided by the expertise of RNLI volunteer Paul Rimmer.

After casualty care for the head and shoulder injuries, and a thorough assessment by the paramedics on scene, the faller was deemed fit to be taken out of the area on foot, with the care and guidance of all the attending emergency services. She was then taken into the care of South Western Ambulance Service and on to hospital for further treatment.

What the coxswain said

Nick Hichens, coxswain at Sennen Cove RNLI, praised the crews who reached her first.

All the emergency services worked together brilliantly to give the casualty the best possible care at the time. Tristan and Tamsyn Gorvin did a great job providing casualty care until further help arrived. It’s testament to their hard work and training, not only as lifeboat crew but also as RNLI lifeguards. It’s times like this when all this hard work pays off and makes a difference to those in need of help.