NEWPORT, RI – On Tuesday afternoon the Newport Fire Department responded to Salve Regina University at the cliff walk behind the O’Hare academic center for an unknown person found over the fence separating the campus from the cliffs below.
Rescue personnel were seen hurrying to climb over the fence in search of the victim.
They threw a rope over the fence and used it to pull the victim up from the cliff, who was then taken away by ambulance.
The Newport Fire and Police personnel continued to search the cliffs, even sending men down in wetsuits to protect them from the cold waters.
The Coast Guard joined in the search for a few minutes and left once the search concluded.
Eyewitnesses say one of the men searching emerged from the cliffs carrying a plastic Macy’s bag and shoes.
It is not known at this time how many victims there were and if they fell or jumped over the fence.
More information will become available here once details are released.
<<UPDATE 11.4 >>
Newport Police have since released more information regarding the rescue and say the man in question was a 52 year-old Warwick native. Witnesses called 911 after the man reportedly jumped over the fence to the dangerous cliffs below.
Upon descending the cliffs rescue units found the man alive face down in the water, and began resuscitating him as more units were dispatched to the scene. They then worked to bring the man up to the cliff walk where an ambulance awaited to take him to Newport Hospital.
The man, whose name is not being released at this time, was stabilized and transferred to Rhode Island Hospital.
The video below was submitted by Sarah DeWolfe.
