A teenager is lucky to be alive after falling from a cliff face in Barwon Heads on Saturday.
Police have been told the 14-year-old boy was standing on cliffs at Barwon Heads Bluff and throwing rocks into the water when he fell about 50 metres shortly after 4pm.
The boy’s two friends, who witnessed the incident, raised the alarm before they made their way down the cliff, entered the water and waded out to their friend to pull the unconscious boy from the water.
Police worked with emergency service personnel from Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria High Angle Rescue Team, State Emergency Services and Life Saving Victoria to rescue him
The boy was winched to safety by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services air ambulance before he was flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital in what is believed to be a serious condition.
In a video shared online by Geelong-based senator Sarah Henderson, Ocean Grove Police’s Sam Gower said it was a complex operation to rescue the boy from the base of the cliff.
“When we turned up, it just looked like he had some grazes and some cuts to his head, but he’s gone to get some proper scans at the hospital.”
Police later said the boy had suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
“Police would like to thank all emergency services involved and the two young men who pulled their friend to safety in what was difficult and dangerous conditions,” a police spokesperson said.