Emergency and rescue services have given thanks to members of the public that assisted a serious situation on the Pembrokeshire coast, where a man having jumped from height from a popular clifftop vantage point, sustained a spinal injury on impact with the water.

The team from HM Coastguard Fishguard were tasked along with other Coastguards from the locality, as well as St Davids RNLI Lifeboat crew members to a medical evacuation of an injured male at the Blue Lagoon, Abereiddy Beach on Saturday, May 31, shortly before 5pm.

The casualty having jumped from height, had sustained a spinal injury on impact with the water, and was initially assisted out of the lagoon on a paddle board to the beach by members of the public.

Coastguards arrived on the scene soon after, and were able to immobilise the casualty and wrap him in blankets and survival bags until the arrival of an ambulance.

With the casualty assessed by paramedics and the Wales Air Ambulance being stood down, it was then down to coastguards to carry him out by stretcher to the car park and the waiting ambulance.

“We would like to thank the large number of people who were in the lagoon at the time who had to quickly pack up belongings and leave due to possible arrival of helicopters,” said a spokesperson for HM Coastguard Fishguard.

“In a coastal, sea or cliff emergency, always call 999 and ask for the coastguard.

“From rope rescue (cliff/structure/vessel access etc), water rescue, mud rescue, casualty evacuation, vessels in distress, lost and missing persons searches, suspicious items (ordnance/pyrotechnics), royal fish (whales, sturgeons, porpoises and dolphins) etc, then we’ve got you covered should you need us!

“HM Coastguard are responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of civil maritime search and rescue within the UK search and rescue region.

“This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the UK as well as some inland waters,” they added.

The spectacular nature and location of Abereiddy’s Blue lagoon has resulted in the spot being chosen as a stop on the Red Bull Cliff Diving series on three separate occasions in 2012, 2013 and 2016. The events saw the world's best divers leap from a man-made platform, suspended an eye-popping 27 metres above the quarry!

Commenting on the rescue, one Facebook user remarked: “This has happened so many times! Blue Lagoon is very beautiful, inviting - but dangerous. Thank God we have these amazing rescue teams.”

Just before being called to the incident, the Fishguard Coastguard team had been tasked alongside crews from Moylegrove, Cardigan and Llansteffan, along with Fishguard RNLI to assist Dyfed-Powys Police officers with a search for a missing child in the Cwm yr Eglwys area of Dinas.

As the teams from Fishguard and Moylegrove arrived and began to plan their search, the child was found safe and well by police.