Senior plucked from belfry by helicopter
The Local - [email protected]
Published: 22 Jan, 2014 CET.
Updated: Wed 22 Jan 2014 11:16 CET
Workers from Rega are used to high-altitude rescue missions, usually in the mountains, but on Tuesday the Swiss emergency service was called on to save an injured elderly man from atop a cathedral bell tower.
The service deployed a helicopter to pick up an 82-year-old civil engineer who suffered head injuries while inspecting a tower at the cathedral of Arlesheim, a town in the canton of Basel-Country, cantonal police said.
The engineer hit his head against the bell in the 16th century cathedral’s tower, which is being renovated, shortly after 2pm, police said.
The man fell about three metres to a platform where he was initially treated by medics.
A Rega helicopter was called to the scene because local fire fighters could not reach the man.
He was hoisted in a stretcher up to the helicopter in the dramatic rescue.
He was taken to hospital but police did not provide details on his condition.
Photo: Basel-Country cantonal police
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The service deployed a helicopter to pick up an 82-year-old civil engineer who suffered head injuries while inspecting a tower at the cathedral of Arlesheim, a town in the canton of Basel-Country, cantonal police said.
The engineer hit his head against the bell in the 16th century cathedral’s tower, which is being renovated, shortly after 2pm, police said.
The man fell about three metres to a platform where he was initially treated by medics.
A Rega helicopter was called to the scene because local fire fighters could not reach the man.
He was hoisted in a stretcher up to the helicopter in the dramatic rescue.
He was taken to hospital but police did not provide details on his condition.
Photo: Basel-Country cantonal police
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