A 18-year-old man is in hospital with severe spinal, arm, and leg injuries after a 40-meter cliff fall at Black Rock, Melbourne's southern coast. The incident occurred on Sunday night, as strong winds from the eastern side of Port Phillip swept multiple paddleboarders into the bay. The man's fall onto a sandstone ledge, only five meters above the ground, presented a unique challenge for emergency crews. Fire Rescue Victoria's high-angle rescue team, alongside State Emergency Service crews and paramedics, worked tirelessly to reach the man and bring him down safely. The rescue operation, which took about half an hour, involved setting up in difficult terrain and using a system to lower the patient to the sand. The man is described as very lucky to have survived. This incident follows a similar tragedy in the neighboring suburb of Beaumaris, where a woman remains in a critical condition after a cliff fall just days earlier. Additionally, multiple rescues of paddleboarders were carried out around Melbourne yesterday due to unusual easterly winds, highlighting the ongoing risks associated with beach activities during strong weather conditions.
