Eastbourne RNLI and coastguard rescue injured base jumper at Beachy Head

A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said a 999 call was received at 9.15am.

The spokesman said: “The Coastguard Rescue Teams from Eastbourne, Birling Gap and Newhaven, the RNLI lifeboat from Eastbourne, the search and rescue helicopter from Lydd and the South East Coast Ambulance Service attended the scene.

“The casualty was winched by the search and rescue helicopter and airlifted to Brighton Hospital where they were passed into the care of medical staff.”

On its Facebook page, Eastbourne RNLI said: “Our volunteer crew were paged at 9.30am today and requested to launch both Eastbourne lifeboats to assist local coastguards and the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter with an injured base jumper at the base of the cliffs at Beachy Head who required medical evacuation.

“The inshore lifeboat crew were put ashore to assist the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter Paramedic who had been winched down to the casualty.

“The casualty was eventually recovered into the Coastguard helicopter and flown to hospital.

“The remaining base jumpers were taken off the beach by the Inshore Lifeboat transferred to the All Weather Lifeboat and returned safely to Birling Gap where they were met by local coastguards.”