GUARDIA CIVIL officers aboard an emergency chopper have rescued a man who fell onto his head while climbing in Almeria.
The climber was out in the Sierra de Gador mountains with his partner and had set off on a solo lead climb when a rock became dislodged, according to sources.
It sent him plummeting onto rocks four metres beneath and struck his head. His climbing buddy alerted emergency services who instructed him to keep the injured man warm and awake.
The Guardia Civil then coordinated an emergency response team including emergency medics and firefighters and boarded a helicopter to the scene.
And the aircraft flew over the area and found the injured man and his partner 120 metres above the ground on a rocky outcrop.
Emergency crew were abseiled down onto the pair while the helicopter hovered 30 metres above.
Rescuers found the man in a semi-conscious state with head and hand injuries, as well as severe hip pain.
They secured the climber in a stretcher before he was lifted up onto the chopper by cables with one accompanying officer.
He was then flown to Almeria’s Hospital Torrecardenas for treatment. The climber’s partner was later returned to Almeria by firefighters who were at the scene providing backup.
