Cowes Lifeboat Assists in Hillside Fall Rescue
Cowes RNLI lifeboat was called out yesterday evening to assist in the rescue of a woman who had been seriously injured from a fall in a steeply wooded area overlooking East Cowes seafront.
The woman, who was understood to be undertaking a walk around England in aid of the Help the Heroes charity, apparently fell heavily at around 3 pm near Old Castle Point. But it was not until the evening when someone, hearing her cries for help, called emergency services.
First to climb to her aid were crew members of an ambulance and Ventnor mobile Coastguards. But because of the difficult terrain – the spot was beyond the seafront cliff fall blocking the road – it was decided the local lifeboat should be summoned to carry her to a more suitable location for an ambulance transfer..
The lifeboat, launched at 8.48 pm, was soon on the scene and the crew found the woman was in considerable pain from hip, neck and back injuries. Together with a paramedic and a coastguard, the woman was then taken by the lifeboat to the Gridiron landing stage, East Cowes, where she was stretched to an ambulance which took her to St Mary’s Hospital.
Cowes lifeboat returned to station at 9.41 pm.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.