Dramatic footage shows the rescue of a 71-year-old man from cliffs at Fairlight Glen. Crews from Rye and Pett Level joined the other emergency services, coastguard, and search helicopter on Wednesday April 24.
Sussex Police were called around 10pm after Bryn Austin, a retired geologist from Norfolk, was reported missing. Earlier in the day, whilst staying with relatives, he decided to take a walk to study the landslide but lost his bearings trying to return from the beach. He was reported missing after failing to respond to calls and with the light fading.
A drone was deployed as part of the emergency services response, but due to the scale of the search region around Fairlight, the National Police Air Service helicopter was requested for back-up. They were able to direct a search team on foot to the cliffs directly above Bryn, but it quickly became clear that his position was inaccessible.
The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd was deployed – assisted by Coastguard Rescue Teams from Hastings, Rye Bay, Bexhill and Romney Marsh, and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat from Eastbourne and Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat – and Bryn was winched to safety.
Bryn Austin said: “I had great faith in the emergency services and the rescue operation was absolutely brilliant. I’m extremely grateful that they put their lives on the line to help me. I’d like to thank every single person who was involved in what was a life-or-death situation for me.”
Matt Pavitt, Coastal Operations Area Commander, said: “As one of the UK emergency services, HM Coastguard is ready around the clock to respond to incidents by the coast and at sea. We’re very proud to have contributed to such a good outcome in which different agencies worked so well together.”
Chief Inspector Sarah Whitworth, of the National Police Air Service, said: “This is a great example of how we work together, in the air and on the ground, to save lives. Using their thermal imaging camera, night vision goggles and powerful onboard spotlight, our crew from the National Police Air Service was able to find Bryn in a location that was inaccessible to ground patrols.”
Image Credits: NPAS , Bryn Austin .