A DERRY rock climber was rescued from an area known as ‘Hell’s Hole’ in Malin Head on Tuesday night after getting into difficulty at the “dangerous” location.
Greencastle Coast Guard unit were tasked to an incident at 11.40 pm when three men in their 20s from Derry, who had been rock climbing at an area called Hell’s Hole at Malin Head, needed assistance when one of the party had become trapped.
He was located approximately 150 feet down the cliff and suspended about 20 feet over the incoming tide.
When the Greencastle Coast Guard unit arrived on scene they set up their cliff rescue equipment on the cliff top above the trapped climber.
A second climber in the party was located on a ledge half way down holding a rope attached to his trapped friend.
As the location is very dangerous and the rock face is unpredictable with loose rock, the rescuers proceeded to slowly and carefully lower two members of the team down the cliff.
Just after midnight the first climber reached the casualty at the bottom of the cliff and secured him to the rescue lines.
The Coast Guard team on the top of the cliff then hauled both the casualty and the rescuer safely to the cliff top.
The second climber was also safely guided to the top.
The Derry man being rescued 45 metres below the surface inside Hell’s Hole at Malin Head
Greencastle Coast Guard Officer In Charge, Charlie Cavanagh, said the operation went smoothly and the weather conditions were favourable.
He thanked James, a local farmer, for his assistance on scene and his volunteer members for a very professional job.
“It sounds like a straightforward rescue but it was tricky.
“The climber was a long way down, about 45 metres,”
The casualty was released from hospital on Wednesday morning and is now recovering at home.
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