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When a car went over a cliff in Guernsey yesterday, many feared the worst.
But, thanks to the tens of paid and voluntary emergency service personnel who rushed to the scene at Jerbourg, the driver of the car was able to be rescued.
He was the only person in the Smart Car when it left the car park and fell down the cliff face yesterday morning, before coming to rest in the undergrowth.
The first 999 calls were made just after 09:30 with police, fire, ambulance, and coastguard crews despatched to the scene.
Pictured: A police cordon meant members of the public and the media were kept back from the incident scene.
Guernsey Civil Protection Volunteers and the voluntary Cliff Rescue Team also attended.
With the Cliff Rescue Team unable to travel under blue lights to the scene of an incident, they were given lifts by the Fire and Rescue Service to get them there as quickly and safely as possible.
By 10:00 all of the services were on the scene, the roads were closed to restrict public access, and a plan was being formed to reach the car and the victim.
Other than the emergency service personnel – estimated to number up to 40 people in total – there were very few people at Jerbourg as the rescue mission was staged.
A few members of the public who had been in the area at the time of the incident were present, and a few guests from the neighbouring Jerbourg Hotel, along with six staff from the local media made up of reporters, photographers, and a camera man.
Pictured: The rescue mission was focused on Guernsey's south coast at Jerbourg.
The rescue mission was co-ordinated from the top of Jerbourg steps where emergency service personnel watched as colleagues worked on the cliff face.
Guernsey Police had been first on the scene, closely following by Ambulance and Rescue Service.
An initial assessment of the man – who was outside of the vehicle on the cliff face – was carried out where he lay.
Pictured: The man was assessed at the scene.
Within two hours of the 999 calls being made for help, the man had been brought back up to the car park and was further assessed at the scene by paramedics.
His condition was described as "non-life threatening" and he was taken to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital for treatment.
Pictured: The man was taken to hospital after an initial assessment at the scene.
Once the man had been rescued and taken for further treatment, reporters were allowed to pass the cordon to see the incident scene.
It was clear that a joint effort involving many people had resulted in the successful rescue mission.
Pictured: Equipment had to be brought back up to the top of the cliff.
Equipment that had been used in the rescue mission was brought back to the top of the cliff face, before it was cleaned and packed away ready for next time.
Pictured: The team work involved all of Guernsey's emergency services.
Debriefs were taking place alongside the clearance work, with members of the police, fire, ambulance, coastguard, cliff rescue, and civil protection teams all involved.
Each service played a part in the incident from start to finish.
Pictured: A plan was being considered to bring the car back up from the cliff face.
While the man had been rescued from the cliff face, the car he had been in was stuck in the undergrowth out of view, beneath Jerbourg car park.
A plan was being considered to retrieve it.
Pictured: The car cannot easily be seen from any direction.
A crane was taken to Jerbourg later in the day to see how it could be removed.
It was decided that the car cannot safely be retrieved, and it will have to remain in place for now.
One in hospital after cliff rescue
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