Man dies after fall near Keiss Castle
A man has died after falling from cliffs near Keiss Castle on Wednesday.
He was initially airlifted to the top of the cliffs and then taken to Caithness General Hospital in Wick, where he was later pronounced dead, police confirmed.
The alarm was raised at around 2.30pm, after the man fell - sparking a multi-agency response from the emergency services.
Coastguard rescue teams, a rescue helicopter, the RNLI’s Wick lifeboat, ambulances and police were all involved in the emergency response.
A police spokesperson said: “Around 2.25pm on Wednesday, October 30, police received a report of a man injured falling near to Keiss Castle.
“The man was taken to Caithness General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
“Next of kin have been made aware. Emergency services remain at the scene and inquiries are ongoing.”
A spokesperson for the Coastguard said the casualty “was airlifted to safety by the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Inverness”.
“Wick and Duncansby Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent, as well as the RNLI's all-weather lifeboat from Wick.
“Once at the top of the cliff the male was passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service. Police Scotland was also alerted.”
The tragic incident comes just a few weeks after a man spotted scrambling up steep slopes at the Whaligoe Steps fell about 30ft.
A holidaymaker who was with his wife called the emergency services and said the man was lucky to be alive after he lost his footing and tumbled down one of the steep cliffs.
That incident led to a multi-agency response involving HM Coastguard teams from Wick and Scrabster, the Scottish Ambulance Service and Wick RNLI.