Police and paramedics last night rescued an injured man from Cape Hauy, in the vicinity of the Totem Pole on the Tasman Peninsula.

Around 8pm police from Marine and Rescue Services and Paramedics from Ambulance Tasmania responded to a report of a 26-year-old climber who had injured himself whilst traversing from the Totem Pole back to Cape Hauy. The male sustained a spinal injury and required extraction from the location.

“Due to the remote location of the injured man, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter winched a paramedic and police rescue crewman to the patient. An assessment was conducted by the crew and the safest option to retrieve the patent was with a team of search and rescue roping specialists,” said Senior Constable Chris Williams.

“The roping specialist worked through the night hauling the injured man by hand, 45 metres from his location to a ledge. He was then carried 200 metres over rough steep scrubby exposed cliff top to the Cape Hauy lookout where he was winched to the helicopter.

“The height of the cliffs, strong winds and darkness made this a very challenging and technical rescue with 18 winches conducted to insert crew to the location and retrieve the man up the cliff and into the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.”

The man was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a stable condition.