RAF Akrotiri’s 84 Squadron helicopter crew recently rescued a Cypriot man from the cliffs of Curium after he suffered a very heavy landing whilst paragliding.
The man, who was in his sixties, fell in to trouble at approximately 1pm on Saturday, on July 4 and was stranded about half way up the cliff near Curium’s ancient ruins.
After the man was treated by Bases fire crews and medical staff for spinal and neck injuries, the three man crew in the Griffin helicopter were called to the scene in order to expedite his rescue and transport him to Nicosia General Hospital.
Flight Lieutenant Gareth Cone, who flew the helicopter, explained: “There was a path which allowed the medical and fire crews to reach him but it would have taken too long to get him on a stretcher and carry him back up the cliff.
“We were able to winch down our paramedic, get the man on a stretcher and take him to Nicosia hospital in less than two hours after arriving at the scene.”
This latest rescue once again highlights the value of 84 Squadron in Cyprus due to its Search and Rescue capabilities and its ability to provide ‘rainmaker’ assistance in the event of a fire breaking out within the Sovereign Base Areas or the Republic of Cyprus.
Cyprus Weekly