A man who fell while rock climbing on coastal cliffs at Charleston yesterday is critically ill in Wellington Hospital after suffering a head injury.
The 26-year-old North Islander was climbing on a bluff above Constant Bay - a well known haunt for recreational rock climbers - when he fell over 10m on to the beach below.
NZCC West Coast Rescue Helicopter pilot Angus Taylor said when they arrived from Greymouth about 12.40pm a West Coast District Health Board doctor who had been travelling south on his way to work was already assisting at the scene.
It took paramedics and St John about 50 minutes to stabilise the man, who had either suffered his injuries when hitting the compacted sand below the cliff, or by hitting a rock on the way down.
Two other climbers were also at the scene.
The injured man was put into an induced coma and stabilised prior to being winched out by the rescue helicopter at 1.30pm.
Westport Volunteer Fire Brigade fire chief Alan Kennedy said a crew with lines equipment was on the scene to assist before the man was winched out by helicopter.
The sea was relatively calm at the time, although firefighters arrived back drenched from the spray, he said.
Mr Taylor said the entire operation was "a team effort" which included the doctor who luckily happened to be passing, along with DOC and fire volunteers.
The injured man was flown to Westport Airport from where he was transferred to the Nelson Rescue Helicopter and on to Wellington Hospital.
The decision to take him to Wellington was due to poor flying conditions between Westport and Christchurch at the time, Mr Taylor said.
Brendon McMahon
