Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died after falling 30ft from cliffs in Orkney.
Emergency services launched a major rescue operation yesterday afternoon after a member of the public reported that a person was at the bottom of a cliff at the Gloup in Deerness in east Orkney.
A police spokesman said: “About 1.15pm a multi-agency response was invoked following reports of a body at the foot of cliffs on East Mainland, Orkney.
“Despite the best efforts of coastguard, lifeboat, Scottish Ambulance and police, the person sadly could not be saved.
“Police are working to establish the full circumstances of events and would be keen to hear from any witnesses to the incident who have not already spoken to police.
“There are no suspicious circumstances evident at this time, however a report will be submitted to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“The individual’s next of kin have been informed, however further details will not be released until further family members are aware.
We can confirm a body has been recovered from the foot of cliffs on East Mainland this afternoon.
Emergency services were alerted at around 1:15pm today but sadly the invidual could not be saved. Next of kin have been informed and further details will be released in due course.
— OrkneyPolice (@OrkneyPolice) September 20, 2018
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 1585 of September 20 2018.”
A spokesman for Shetland Coastguard added: “We received a call from the ambulance service at approximately 1.30pm. They reported receiving a 999 call from a member of the public reporting a person at the bottom of a cliff in the area of Gloup in Deerness in Orkney.
“They were sending an ambulance and requested the assistance of the coastguard to recover the casualty.
“We contacted RNLI Kirkwall all weather lifeboat. We tasked the coastguard rescue teams from Kirkwall, Stromness and St Margaret’s Hope. We also requested the scramble of the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter Rescue 900 from Sumburgh.
“The lifeboat arrived on scene and launched their daughter craft, a small inflatable boat. They went in and began first aid on the casualty. The coastguard rescue teams prepared at the top of the cliff to go down but before they could get the kit set up the helicopter arrived on scene.
“The helicopter send down a winch-man paramedic. They then recovered the casualty from the bottom of the cliff to the ambulance service which was waiting at the top of the cliff.
“The ambulance service transferred the casualty to the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall in Orkney.”
A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “We received a call at 1312 hours today to attend an incident in Deerness.
“We dispatched one ambulance to the scene and transported one male patient in his 40s to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.”
