Young male injured following rock fall at Saltwick Bay, Whitby

Whitby Coastguard Rescue Officers were first on scene and began an initial assessment, providing casualty care and monitoring.

The young male who was with family, had already been kindly assisted by a member of the public on the beach, who had applied a bandage to a severe upper leg injury and kept the casualty warm with first aid supplies from his own first aid kit- something that made a real difference in those early moments.

As teams carried out observations and considered the safest options for extraction, paramedics arrived on scene to continue assessment and provide pain relief.

Given the nature of the injury and the terrain, a stretcher carry up the steep path, or a rope extraction, would likely have caused significant pain and distress.

The Officer in Charge requested assistance from the RNLI, and Whitby’s inshore lifeboat (ILB), already tasked nearby, was able to assist.

Working together, Coastguard teams and RNLI colleagues transferred the casualty onto the ILB, allowing for a safe and controlled extraction by sea.

The casualty was then transported to the boathouse where ambulance crews were waiting to continue treatment.

During the incident, a second rock fall occurred in the same area, and Coastguard teams moved several families away from the base of the cliffs to a place of safety.

Following the incident, Whitby Coastguard issued a safety reminder:

Cliffs along our coastline can be incredibly unpredictable.

Rock falls can happen without warning, and what looks stable often isn’t, particularly after periods of wet weather, followed by dry spells, frost, or ongoing erosion.

Avoid walking or sitting close to the base of cliffs

Do not climb on unstable rock faces

Stay well back from cliff edges above

Keep a close eye on children and surroundings

Even a small fall or a single moving rock can quickly turn into something far more serious.

If you see anyone in difficulty at the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard