Cliff Fall at Cullercoats Bay Triggers Major Emergency Response

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A person was hospitalised on Sunday afternoon following a fall near the cliffs at Cullercoats Bay, prompting a significant response from both land and air emergency services.

Emergency services were first alerted at 4.21pm, with reports indicating that an individual had fallen in the coastal area of Cullercoats, located between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay in North Tyneside. The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) quickly dispatched multiple resources, including a double-crewed ambulance, a duty officer, three specialist Hazardous Area Response Team vehicles, and a paramedic trained in advanced care.

Due to the location and nature of the incident, the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) was also called in to assist. The air ambulance, carrying a critical care team consisting of a doctor and paramedic, was deployed at 4.34pm and arrived at the scene eleven minutes later.

A spokesperson for GNAAS stated: “Our critical care team was activated at 4.34pm to an incident at Cullercoats Bay. We had a paramedic and doctor on board our aircraft and they arrived on scene at 4.45pm. Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient.”

While the helicopter landed nearby and medical support was rendered at the scene, the injured person was ultimately transported to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle by road ambulance. The road transfer was carried out under the supervision of the critical care doctor.

NEAS confirmed the details, with a spokesperson saying: “We were called to a person who had fallen on the cliffs at Cullercoats at 4.21pm this afternoon. We dispatched a duty officer, a double crewed ambulance, three vehicles from our Hazardous Area Response Team and a specialist paramedic. We were also supported by Great North Air Ambulance Service. One patient was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary by road with a doctor on board.”

The current condition of the individual has not been publicly disclosed, and no further information regarding the cause of the fall has been released. However, the rapid response by emergency teams highlights the risks present in coastal areas and the importance of having well-coordinated services available for incidents in difficult-to-access terrain.

Cullercoats Bay is a popular location for locals and tourists, especially during summer months, and the cliffs in the surrounding area, while scenic, can pose dangers when safety precautions are not observed. Authorities have not issued any official warnings in the aftermath of this incident, but the situation serves as a reminder to exercise caution near cliff edges and coastal paths.