This article is from page 12 of the 2014-01-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
MEMBERS of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard took part in a marathon seven hour-long recovery operation at the Aill na Searrach cliff, close to the Cliffs of Moher last week.
The recovery saw six members of the Doolin unit abseil and climb down a sheer 80 degree incline on the cliff face before recovering the casualty and hiking almost a kilometre along the cliff front.
The whole operation was completed in very rough weather conditions with the coast guard members com- pleting the last three hours of the recovery in near pitch darkness.
“We were called to attend at Aill na Searrach near O’Brien’s Tower where a person had fallen from the cliffs down to the shore. Six climbers abseiled down the cliff, and carried him down the shore line for about 700 metres,” said Matty Shannon of the Doolin Unit.
“The coast guard helicopter was there at the scene but the casualty was positioned too close to the cliff for them to attempt an airlift. It was one of the more challenging operations that we have undertaken in recent times,” said Matty Shannon of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard.
“It wasn’t a sheer drop but they climbed down a drop of about 80 degrees to the foot of the cliff. Between the height of the climb and the wind is a very difficult operation. The ropes get tangled by the wind as we are lowering or hauling so it is very difficult for the climbers as they have the weight of the ropes as they abseil keeping pressure on them.
“The operation was undertaken in blustery condition with heavy showers and strong North Westerly winds.”
No details of the casualty have yet been released.