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Hiker rescued after falling from cliff on Newcastle Island near Nanaimo

NANAIMO – A 22-year-old woman slipped and fell on the rocks at the northwest corner of Newcastle Island on Wednesday.
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A search and rescue helicopter from CFB Comox helped retrieve a woman who had fallen down a cliff on Newcastle Island near Nanaimo on Wednesday afternoon.

A 22-year-old woman who fell about 15-20 feet at Newcastle Island was rescued with a Canadian Armed Forces helicopter Wednesday.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria reports a 22-year-old woman slipped and fell on the rocks at the northwest corner of Newcastle Island on Wednesday.

B.C. Ambulance made a humanitarian request to the centre for aid at 2:30 p.m. unable to do a rescue itself because of the location. The woman had a broken wrist and possible spinal injury because of the height of the fall, according to John Rose, search and rescue mission coordinator of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, who did not have any further information on the woman's condition.

A Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft from Sea Island on the Lower Mainland was initially tasked for the rescue, but was stood down en route because the Canadian Armed Forces' had a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter with 442 Squadron out of Comox training in the area. The woman was flown to the Nanaimo Airport to a waiting ambulance.

RCMP members were dive training in the area and were first on scene, providing first aid response and care to the patient until search and rescue technicians were able to arrive.