EGGED ON TO INJURY
Crowds clap and cheer on lads tombstoning off 200ft Durdle Door unaware one critically injured and another breaks spine
A NEW video has emerged showing cheering crowds egging on men jumping 200ft into the sea from Durdle Door unaware one was knocked unconscious while another suffered spinal injuries.
One man, aged 20, had belly-flopped into the water at the Dorset beauty spot and vanished before being saved by two paddle boarders who took him to the beach, where he was given CPR.
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He was rescued by hero paddle boarders Michael Wiley and Dylan Kirkwood, from Southampton.
Michael, 31, who owns a window cleaning firm, told the : "We saw him hit the water sideways. He didn't come back up.
"We instantly jumped off the paddle board and dove down into the sea but couldn't see anything at first - the water was dark with seaweed - but after several attempts I saw something white at the bottom.
"I tried to dive down one final time and managed to grab his hand, but when I tried to push off the bottom of the seabed I just pushed against seaweed, there was nothing to purchase against.
"I don't know how I managed it but somehow I found the strength to drag him through the water up to the surface.
"The compression on my head and chest was so strong I nearly let go - I didn't think I was going to make it, he was completely limp, a dead weight."
Hero Michael added: "He literally had no life in him - his brother was crying and praying next to him. It was a pretty hard thing to witness.
"I was just in complete shock because I thought he was dead - I had to move away from the situation.
"When I returned about ten minutes later the four doctors had managed to get him breathing and bring him back to life - it was incredible."
Dylan said: "The lad sunk to the bottom for around two minutes.
"Mike just managed to get a hold of him and brought him back to the surface."
Yasmin Allen, 23, who was sunbathing with pals, was among those who battled to save his life.
She said: "He wasn't conscious, so myself and two other people laid him out and started CPR.
"It felt like longer but it was probably about five or six minutes before a first aider and then the paramedics turned up.
"They put a defibrillator on him and he was flown away."
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Another jumper, aged around 25, was airlifted to hospital after suffering spinal injuries.
A third left in an ambulance with a suspected broken leg.
A Coastguard spokesman said the individuals were encouraged to jump by people watching below.
They said: "We understand that four individuals jumped from Durdle Door (some 70ft), encouraged by the crowds on the beach. Two of which are now seriously injured.
"Upsetting scenes like we and many others witnessed on Saturday illustrate how very dangerous tombstoning is. We couldn't discourage it enough."
A witness, who didn't want to be named, said: "This guy had clambered onto the top of the Durdle Door arch and he jumped off and he just disappeared under the water, he didn't come back to the surface.
"People jumped in and dived down to try and find him and eventually he was dragged onto the sand unconscious.
"It was horrific, and there was another guy behind him waiting to jump but he decided not to when he saw what had happened to the other man.
"Everybody was crowded round this poor guy, there must have been upwards of 200 people crammed around him, it was insane. It's the biggest belly-flop I've ever seen."
Witness Ben Clark described how the man failed to resurface.
He said: "The lad did not come back to the surface, he just never came back up.
"He got CPR on the beach right in front of my eyes. Then a defibrillator was used."
Another witness Hayden Bradley added: "For the amount of people cheering and encouraging others to do it, was disgusting.
"It's a traumatic sight to experience lots of people swimming in to try and save him, bringing him back to shore and witnessing him being unconscious for so long."
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Tombstoners returned to Durdle Door yesterday - hours after the men were badly hurt throwing themselves off the arch into the sea.
Thrillseekers were branded "idiots"; as they again ignored warnings and dived off the 200ft rock to smash into the water.
They were among hundreds who ignored closed roads and dodged police turning people away yesterday after Saturday's accidents when thousands bunched up together on the beach as two air ambulances landed to help the injured.
Police said: "The arch of Durdle Door is approximately 200ft. Hitting the water from that height, at roughly 77mph, can be critical.
"This is further compounded by tides, currents and altering depth of the sea bed. It is not an appropriate location for this activity."
The beach remained closed yesterday, along with nearby Lulworth Cove, but some still got through to jump off Durdle Door.
Local Tory MP Richard Drax said: "They are idiots."
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A ranger for the Lulworth Estate, which owns the area around Durdle Door, said: "The first casualty was unconscious on the sea floor for well over a minute before someone waded out and rescued him.
"He was taken by air ambulance to Southampton General Hospital, as was the second guy who suffered spinal injuries.
"The last victim was found on top of the cliffs having made his own way up there before collapsing.
"He suffered torso injuries and a suspected broken leg and was taken to Dorset County Hospital by road."
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‘Covidiots’ jump off 200ft CLIFFS into sea at backed Durdle Door beach
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