Sumner Coastguard honoured with Rescue of the Year after dramatic cliff fall

Sumner Coastguard swung into action to rescue the man a mere six minutes after they received the tasking. Photo / Supplied

A coastguard team who fashioned a sled as a stretcher to rescue an injured man off a steep cliff in turbulent seas has been recognised for their ingenuity in plucking the man to safety.

Crowned Coastguard Rescue of the Year, the award-winning mission was sparked after a man suddenly found himself sliding uncontrollably down a near-vertical cliff face while walking with a friend.

After he came to a stop near the bottom, he was badly injured and unable to call for help.

A friend used a drone to fly down and check on the man, who communicated by typing “HELP” on his cellphone and showing the screen to the drone’s camera.

Police were called and Sumner Coastguard swung into action just six minutes after they received the callout.

Coastguard New Zealand said that while all rescues deserve to be celebrated, what made this rescue special was its unique combination of operational and medical problem-solving.

It said this enabled the transport of the man from the base of the cliff to the rescue vessel, which was holding off just metres from the rocks in a heavy swell.

“They also had to think laterally, using their sled as a stretcher to get the man on board, a solution that took some persuasion on behalf of the Sumner crew to convince the injured man he had few options, other than the one that was currently looking him calmly in the eye,” Coastguard New Zealand said.

“Fortunately, with St John ambulance waiting on the shore, and Sumner surf lifesavers in the water should he slip and fall, the man was duly retrieved from his perilous position and taken quickly to safety and a local hospital.

“He lived to tell the tale, and Sumner could look back on a job well done, thanks to their fast response time, some classic Kiwi ingenuity, and an ability to work seamlessly with other local rescue agencies.”

The award was part of the Coastguard Tautiaki Moana 2025 Volunteer Awards of Excellence, which recognise and celebrate Coastguard volunteers from across New Zealand.