Man in his 80s survives 40ft fall into lake after fishermen hear his cries

Daily Mirror

a day ago

Rescuers rushed to an area near Rob Roy's Cave after receiving a report that an 87-year-old man had fallen 40 feet from a cliff into the waters of Loch Lomond
An elderly man was airlifted to hospital after a terrifying 40ft fall from a cliff at Loch Lomond in Scotland. Despite suffering serious injuries, the man was saved after local fishermen heard his cries.
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A rescue team rushed to the scene near Rob Roy's Cave on Monday following reports of an 87-year-old man's fall three hours earlier.
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A passing fishing boat heard his desperate cries for help and alerted the police, who then called in the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat (LLRB). The vast lake is a breathtaking destination often named the UK's most beautiful body of water.
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The lifeboat's volunteers swiftly began casualty care, providing pain relief and fully immobilising the pensioner to protect his spine and pelvis due to the severity of his injuries.
The Scottish Ambulance Service trauma team assisted in the operation to save the pensioner after his 40ft fall, with the man being transferred via lifeboat to Inveruglas power station where he was airlifted to hospital for further treatment.
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Earlier that evening, the LLRB team had also provided assistance to a 19-year-old German female walker on the West Highland Way who had sustained an ankle injury just north of Ivow Island on the east side of Loch Lomond. Once on the scene, LLRB crews assessed the casualty, strapped her ankle, and moved her onto the boat.
She was then transferred over to Inveruglas where she was handed over to the Scottish Ambulance Service for further treatment, reports the Daily Record.
A spokesperson for LLRB said: "BUSY EVENING FOR LLRB. Loch Lomond Rescue Boat were paged by Police Scotland at 17:05hrs on 11/8/25 to reports of a 19-year-old German female walker on the West Highland Way who had sustained an ankle injury and required medical assistance."
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The service continued: "LLRB launched and made way to the location just North of Ivow Island on the east side of Loch Lomond. Once on scene, our crew began assessing the casualty and strapping the ankle before moving the casualty onto the boat and transferring over to Inveruglas where the the patient was handed over to Scottish Ambulance Service for further treatment.
"Just as the crew were standing down at 18:50 hrs a radio call came in from Police Scotland to reports of an 87 year old male who had fallen 40ft from a cliff in the area of Rob Roy's Cave 3 hrs earlier.
"Luckily a passing fishing boat heard the males calls for help and called the police. LLRB made way over the Loch and once on location commenced casualty care, providing pain relief to the injured male and due to the nature of his injuries fully immobilised him Protecting his spine and pelvis.
"Crew requested assistance from Scottish ambulance trauma team and after packaging him with assistance from national park transferred him via lifeboat to Inveruglas power station and handed over to the ambulance crew and helimed five for further treatment. Crew stood down and returned to base at 9pm.
"Massive thank you to the fisherman that called this one on."