Tourists see man die in cliff fall

Apr 13 2009

Tourists have witnessed a man fall 300ft to his death at a coastal beauty spot, rescuers said.

The 39-year-old tumbled down the sheer cliff face, landing at the bottom in bushes at Seaton in Devon before 3pm on Sunday.

The Coastguard helicopter and team were called out by South Western Ambulance to rescue him but paramedics declared him dead at the scene and they helped evacuate his body.

A Portland Coastguard spokeswoman said: "Someone saw him fall and called the ambulance. It was the middle of the day. All the tourists were there, people along the cliff path, who witnessed it."

She added: "He was killed instantly. He went down 300ft so we assume he probably fell from the cliff path above."

A police spokesman said the man was from Poland and was travelling with a Polish group.

He said the death "appeared to be a tragic accident".

He said: "The man was found to have fallen about 300 feet near to Seaton Beach. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is thought he was travelling with a group of other Polish.

"There are no apparent suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and it is thought to be a tragic accident at this time."

The spokesman said the man's next of kin in Poland have yet to be informed.