Lifeboat crews were able to save the man during difficult conditions and darkness on Monday evening
An injured man rescued from treacherous conditions on Monday night has the RNLI to thank after volunteer crews spotted him at the bottom of cliffs in Filey.
Lifeboat crews spent the evening rescuing the casualty who was stuck in “thick oozing mud” on the North Yorkshire coast.
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The dramatic incident was made worse by freezing temperatures, difficult sea conditions, high water and complete darkness.
Volunteer crews were called out to the scene just after 7pm after reports that there was a male missing somewhere between Filey Brig and Bridlington.
Two RNLI lifeboats launched to search for the man, along with a large number of police officers and a coast rescue team.
Search efforts had been underway for around 30 minutes when Filey’s inshore lifeboat crew spotted what appeared to be a bundle at the base of the cliffs to the north of Coble Landing.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “Fortunately at the area where the casualty was spotted, there were comparatively benign sea conditions.
“Two crew were placed ashore to assist the casualty but as his condition was quite serious and he was obviously suffering from the severe cold, they were joined by two RNLI tractor drivers, two RNLI shore crew, two crew from the all-weather boat and two lifeboat crew who were at the boathouse.”
In horrendously muddy conditions and with waves crashing around them, RNLI volunteers were able to address the man’s injuries before transferring him by stretcher to a nearby lifeboat.
Once ashore, he was handed over to a waiting ambulance crew and taken to hospital.
Filey lifeboat coxswain Barry Robson, said: “The man was very lucky indeed that the inshore lifeboat crew managed to spot him in the dark at the base of the cliffs as I doubt that he would have survived.
“Every piece of lifeboat equipment and all the crew who assisted at the case of the cliffs were absolutely covered in mud and slime but that is what we train for.
“I would like to congratulate all the Filey crew on an excellent job in such demanding conditions.”