Base Jumper Dies ... his own fault ?

ringadingding

I would have expected that somebody could have done something in 3 hours... I would like to know the chain of events from emergency services receiving the call to him falling...... I mean, 3 hours is a pretty fooking long time.

If the helicopter couldn't have got to him, maybe an absailer going down for him or something.......

Maybe it was just **** bad luck that nobody with relevant experience to help him was around, had he fell straight away or snagged for a few minutes, fair enough, he knew the score, but to dangle for 3 hours....... i dunno

prinz

AngeGal wrote: »

Coming out with nonsense like "I'm sure his child will be happy to grow up without a father because of his own selfishness" is despicable. Check out the relevant statistics of how much likelier you are to die in a car accident than doing a jump. Should parents to be stop driving, stop walking, stop having a few pints in case they fall? Where exactly is the line as to what's an acceptable activity for a parent?

Would you come to my defence if I played Russian Roullette for the craic?

AngeGal

prinz wrote: »

Would you come to my defence if I played Russian Roullette for the craic?

Apologies, misread, thought it was a normal parachute jump, despite the very clear title, half asleep here!

donegal_road

paddy147 wrote: »

Can someone tell me how the fcuk a helicopter is meant to get near him on that rock face?? (picture attached)

The mother hasnt got a clue and is way out of line for blaming her sons death on the rescue team.

the helicopter would have hovered at the top of the cliff, 650+ ft above where he was, and try and position the extremely long rope against the cliff face so that he might be able to grab it, then the helicopter lower him to the ground.. the problems here would be knowing when he was secured to the rope and ready to be hoisted to safety... and if the actual rope itself would have been within reach of where he was positioned due to the different levels of relief on the cliff face. Also, someone mentioned the air currents rising from the cliff would make this manouver very difficult for the pilot.

Cookie_Monster

Winty wrote: »

Thats the thing to send a Helicopter at the drop of a hat is big money and who pays the bill.

the insurance company obviously. you do these kind of things you damn well make sure you or the company you are doing with are insured.

I tend to agree it's not fully his fault, terrible response time.

The Big Red Button

donegal_road wrote: »

the helicopter would have hovered at the top of the cliff, 650+ ft above where he was, and try and position the extremely long rope against the cliff face so that he might be able to grab it, then the helicopter lower him to the ground.. the problems here would be knowing when he was secured to the rope and ready to be hoisted to safety... and if the actual rope itself would have been within reach of where he was positioned due to the different levels of relief on the cliff face. Also, someone mentioned the air currents rising from the cliff would make this manouver very difficult for the pilot.

But surely they could have had someone abseil down to him, or something? That wouldn't have taken long, certainly not three hours?

By the sounds of it, nothing was done.

From what the article said, he was there for three hours, and completely uninjured, chatting away to his fiancee on the phone etc while waiting to be rescued. Until the rock he was holding on to gave way, after three hours.

It just seems an awful long time.

People say it's his fault because he was involved in an extreme sport.

But, look at it this way. Say if a family member or a friend of yours attempted suicide - a purposeful attempt to end their own life. And the emergency services attending the scene had the time and the equipment to save them. Would you be OK with them standing by and doing nothing?

By the sounds of it, this guy had no intention of ending his own life.

The emergency services are there to do a job, regardless of the people involved.

I'm not saying that they did anything wrong, I don't know the full details, maybe they were simply unable to reach him in time.

It's awful to say/imply that he deserved to die, though. We all take risks in life, to varying extents. He was unlucky.

iguana

ringadingding wrote: »

Maybe it was just **** bad luck that nobody with relevant experience to help him was around, had he fell straight away or snagged for a few minutes, fair enough, he knew the score, but to dangle for 3 hours....... i dunno

Bad luck that nobody on a tiny island in a badly bankrupted country has the ability to rescue someone who is dangling hundreds of feet down and nearly two hundred feet up a cliff? Bad luck?

It would have been bloody amazing luck if anyone had the first idea how to practically rescue him. It could have taken days to organise a rescue in a way which would allow for the safety of the rescuers. Hell it took 58 hours to get Jessica McLure out of a 22ft deep hole. This planet doesn't have a superman, rescues like the one that would have been needed for him are difficult and take a lot of planning.

I'm sure it was a terrible time for him in those hours and I'm sure his loved ones will torment themselves wondering how he really felt in that time and it's natural for them to want to blame someone other than him. But base jumping is classified as the world's most dangerous recreational activity. The fatality rates are enormous and doing it in an isolated region in a country dealing with enormous cuts to all it's public services makes a rescue in what is really a short time-frame, highly unlikely.

amiable

Winty wrote: »

It sad that somebody has died but he was a base Jumper who selfishly did not think of his 7 months pregnant wife when he jumped of a cliff for his own personal pleasure.

His mother is not blaming him but the rescue team for not sending a helicopter...

What do you think ? when somebody puts their life at risk do they pick up the bill and send rescuers into danger to safe some thrill seeker?

[www.standard.co.uk/news/london/base-jumper-who-died-after-being-left-hanging-by-parachute-for-three-hours-could-have-been-saved-by-helicopter-says-mother-7844318.html[/URL]

yep

Riddle101

My only problem with this is the issue of safety. If he took precautions, maybe brought a friend with him, and safety gear or a rope even, and had informed the proper people of what he was going to do. Then maybe this could have been avoided. But if he was careless and just did it himself without doing anything at all. Then yeah it is his fault.

grizzly

I can understand the mother blaming them in her grief, but if a helicopter rescue was possible they would have tried it.

Personally, I think people should be free to do these extreme sports if they're only endangering themselves. However I'd have packed it away if I had a kid due.

tightropetom

chatterpillar wrote: »

But surely they could have had someone abseil down to him, or something? That wouldn't have taken long, certainly not three hours?

By the sounds of it, nothing was done.

From what the article said, he was there for three hours, and completely uninjured, chatting away to his fiancee on the phone etc while waiting to be rescued. Until the rock he was holding on to gave way, after three hours.

It just seems an awful long time.

The emergency services are there to do a job, regardless of the people involved.

I'm not saying that they did anything wrong, I don't know the full details, maybe they were simply unable to reach him in time.

Reading some of the other articles on the web, the emergency services including the navy were there. Navagio cove is only reachable at lower level by sea, and it's almost 1000ft. It seems they hadn't the right equipment to rescue him. If he was blown onto the face by a gust, and then blown off the face by a gust, it stands to reason that it was not safe for a helicopter to try and get him. Also, it's a vertical cliff - perhaps a helicopter wouldn't get close enough.

Also, to get to the beach is tricky as it is reachable only by water. Not sure how to get to the top of the cliff though.

The emergency services are there to do a job, they are not there to out themselves in mortal danger. First rule of rescue is to make the rescuer safe first, otherwise there'll be more than one casualty to rescue.

Also, it is being reported that he had a broken leg.



Also - there might not be a mountain/cliff rescue service. This is the list of services available http://www.zakynthos.net.gr/English/useful_en.html

Kev.OC

donegal_road wrote: »

The cliff is 900ft, and he was 230ft from the ground.

Ok, so 230ft from the ground on a small island, doubtful they could have gotten up to him.

But regarding the helicopter; hypothetically, if the helicopter could hover six inches above the top of the cliff with zero effects from winds/updraughts, would the cable even be long enough to lower a swimmer 670ft?

Larianne

chatterpillar wrote: »

But surely they could have had someone abseil down to him, or something? That wouldn't have taken long, certainly not three hours?

By the sounds of it, nothing was done.

From what the article said, he was there for three hours, and completely uninjured, chatting away to his fiancee on the phone etc while waiting to be rescued. Until the rock he was holding on to gave way, after three hours.

It just seems an awful long time.

It may have been the case that they didn't have anyone qualified to abseil down to him and rescue him. Or have any helicopters/pilots trained in that type of rescue nearby. I know when a cave diver went missing in Clare last September, they had to bring in specialised rescue divers from the UK.

I read a few different articles on what happened and the guy went most weekends base jumping or sky diving or parachuting. He was unlucky and I guess the shoot malfunctioned on him. It is a high risk sport, but so is sports such as horseriding - a doctor in the Mater hospital told me its the main cause of spinal injuries she sees. People will take precautions but still do sports they enjoy, even if there is a risk to it.

I guess what let him down was not sussing out the local emergency services beforehand. He may have thought if anything fecks up, he's a goner anyway.

His own fault? Well, he did put himself at a higher risk of something happening to him so ultimately yes it was. Just a pity the rescue services couldn't get there fast enough and a sad story.

FanadMan

Winty wrote: »

Thats the thing to send a Helicopter at the drop of a hat is big money and who pays the bill.

Generally, the person that calls the heli has to pay for it AFAIK. Could be wrong tho - might be the injured person or their family that has to foot the bill.

As for the story - was horrible for the wife, but he was addicted to extreme stuff and she knew all about it. It's not as if he jumped off the cliff without any sort of equipment in an attempt to commit suicide!

I've done a fair bit of sky diving, bungees and in process of learning kite surfing. Just because I tried these things which can be dangerous doesn't mean that I'm not aware of the risks. My family know the risks and accept them. I could walk out the door in the morning and be run over by a fork-lift! And as another poster said, fishing is supposed to be more dangerous and I'm a really keen fisherman - beach/rocks/deep sea.

Every time you get out of bed it could be your last. There is no point in worrying about something that is totally out of your control otherwise you'll spend your life in bed surrounded by bubblewrap.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Theres a guy called Jebb Corliss who base jumps with a body suit, awesome experience I'm sure, I'd love to give it a go. A taste of death gives the best trills in life, the OPs example is where it all goes very wrong with a parachute deployment and prolonged death. Can you imagine something going wrong with a body suit though? You don't make the height and your face smacks off rock at high speed, what a swift and satisfying way to go and meet your maker.

Zab

FanadMan wrote: »

Generally, the person that calls the heli has to pay for it AFAIK.

I can't see how that could possibly be true

Show Time

Anyone engaging in stunts like that which could lead to death should automatically be up for a Darwin award for an under developed brain.

FanadMan

Zab wrote: »

I can't see how that could possibly be true

My appologies - just checked and I was wrong. Calling for a heli rescue is not charged. Sorry for any confusion (is there an emoticon for blushing?)

Seaneh

Show Time wrote: »

Anyone engaging in stunts like that which could lead to death should automatically be up for a Darwin award for an under developed brain.

So all sky divers, down hill mountain bikers, off piste skiers, rally, F1, Indy Car Drivers, all moto GP riders, and so on and so forth, all sports with a risk of severe injury and even death, every one who does they should up for a Darwin award?


Jesus there is some stupid posted on this board at times but this thread and the absolute ignorance of some of the posts take the ****ing biscuit.


You could fall off the bottom step of your stairs, bang your head and die at any time, does that mean you deserve a darwin award because you were stupid enough to use stairs.


A man ****ing died, it's sad, he was, by all accounts, an intelligent man (an engineer as it were), who the **** are you and you ilk to come chiming in and calling him an idiot because despite doing everything right, sometimes **** goes wrong?


Get a ****ing grip and get over yourself.

Or, no, **** it, enjoy life in your little safe bubble.

Be careful on the stairs.

:rolleyes:

Cookie_Monster

Raiser wrote: »

Rescue teams shouldn't be obliged to endanger their own lives bailing out champion idiots like this - Just Darwinism really.....

may as well not have them so, there's always some risk, be it after an earthquake in partially collapsed buildings or on the Wicklow Mountains in bad weather or anything in between...

DEFTLEFTHAND

Show Time wrote: »

Anyone engaging in stunts like that which could lead to death should automatically be up for a Darwin award for an under developed brain.

Often 'over developed brains' if you will push for the extreme. People of extreme intelligence can struggle to achieve highs on this desperate planet. Why not go out with a sensational ending, make a statement!

Turpentine

FanadMan wrote: »

Generally, the person that calls the heli has to pay for it AFAIK. Could be wrong tho - might be the injured person or their family that has to foot the bill.

As for the story - was horrible for the wife, but he was addicted to extreme stuff and she knew all about it. It's not as if he jumped off the cliff without any sort of equipment in an attempt to commit suicide!

I've done a fair bit of sky diving, bungees and in process of learning kite surfing. Just because I tried these things which can be dangerous doesn't mean that I'm not aware of the risks. My family know the risks and accept them. I could walk out the door in the morning and be run over by a fork-lift! And as another poster said, fishing is supposed to be more dangerous and I'm a really keen fisherman - beach/rocks/deep sea.

Every time you get out of bed it could be your last. There is no point in worrying about something that is totally out of your control otherwise you'll spend your life in bed surrounded by bubblewrap.

There's a difference between accepting that death is eventually inevitable and actively trying to spit in its face for the buzz. It's not a case of "bubble wrap" and "base jump" being the only options.

Winty

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Winty wrote: »

controled area

That shows absolutely no understanding of the nature or reason in extreme sports and the like. The guy died pushing his own boundaries, and it's sad, and tragic, but the idea that people shouldn't do this for reasons like potential cost is ridiculous. Similarly, my dad worked in construction. Friends' fathers were soldiers. Plenty of people I knew had parents who worked in risky jobs to feed and clothe them, so the argument that he shouldn't have done it because he was a father is also ridiculous, to my mind. People die every day. Most, however, don't. The day we start wrapping ourselves in bubble wrap, we've lost any hope of ever advancing ourselves.

You make some good points but what I would say is I work as a site QS and could get killed on site but that would be doing something for my wife and kids to pay the bills not doing a hobby for my own personal jolly

Kirby

paddy147 wrote: »

Can someone tell me how the fcuk a helicopter is meant to get near him on that rock face?? (picture attached)

The mother hasnt got a clue and is way out of line for blaming her sons death on the rescue team.

The fault lies with the guy who jumped. It's dangerous, he knew that and it was his own choice. I would never blame a response team.

However there are numerous ways he could have been rescued. A chopper rescue team could have saved him. Hover above the cliff and winch a rescuer down in a harness. This is a very common and effective method of rescue.

They also could have sent a guy to abseil or rappell down the cliff face and hook the guy up and then cut his tangled harness.

They had options and did nothing. This doesn't sit well with me. Somebody in charge has to shoulder some responsibility for inaction.

maglite

maglite wrote: »

We are entitled to do fun and stupid things.

not while the wife is 7 months pregnant i reckon

AudreyHepburn

Unless some-one dragged him kicking and screaming up the cliff and then pushed him off/ forced him to jump it is of course his own fault.

That of course does not make it any less a tragedy.

I work in Insurance claims and the severe aversion to taking personal responsability for things nowadays is nothing short of mind boggling at times. Although the longer I work where I do the less surprised I am at the things people will do to avoid personal blame.

CruelCoin

af_thefragile wrote: »

I often wonder where do all these base jumpers, squirrel suit jumpers, mountain climbers and thrill seekers as such get the money to waste on their frivolous pursuits?? As many such people are "professional" thrill seekers and do little else than finding new places to jump off from...

Does it really have to boil down to the snide "well for some" attitude again?

Why couldn't you say "good on you" instead?

CruelCoin

bluewolf wrote: »

not while the wife is 7 months pregnant i reckon

Ah yes, the imminent birth of your spawn dooms you to a life of misery.

If you enjoy doing something, and your partner makes you stop doing it, then is that partner worth staying with? Sometimes yes, other times no.

I scuba dive regularly and run the risk of death from this. Come hell or high water, pregnant wife or no, i'd be in the water.
If married couples love each other enough to exchange vows for life, then they surely also accept all the part of what makes you "you".

CruelCoin

CruelCoin wrote: »

Ah yes, the imminent birth of your spawn dooms you to a life of misery.

If you enjoy doing something, and your partner makes you stop doing it, then is that partner worth staying with? Sometimes yes, other times no.

Who said anything about the partner forcing them to stop?
If I were male and with someone 7 months pregnant, I wouldn't want to be trying to kill myself and leaving them on their own to cope before the kid is even born

If married couples love each other enough to exchange vows for life, then they surely also accept all the part of what makes you "you".

Stop being so ridiculously overdramatic
Maybe they should also accept that being part of a couple where the wife is pregnant means a bit of compromise too

haminka

It's his own fault, definitely and a stupid thing to do with his wife being heavily pregnant.
doesn't take away the responsibility from the rescue services - guess the clue is in the name. That's what they are paid for - fast help. They could have send him the bill afterwards.

the_syco

Would I be right in saying that if he had hit the cliff with his chute open, its fair to assume that there would be a large risk for the chopper, as whatever blew the base jumper into the clif, could also blow the chopper to the cliff as well?

It'd liken base jumping to rally driving. Dangerous for the beginners, safe for the pros, but sh|t happens and people die.

donegal_road wrote: »

the helicopter would have hovered at the top of the cliff, 650+ ft above where he was

650+ ft of rope that could hold someone? Where could you get that in Ireland on short notice?

chatterpillar wrote: »

But surely they could have had someone abseil down to him, or something? That wouldn't have taken long, certainly not three hours?

By the sounds of it, nothing was done.

I wonder if anyone there tried to do anything?

grizzly wrote: »

However I'd have packed it away if I had a kid due.

I'd have picked more sensible places, such as off bridges, etc.

CruelCoin

bluewolf wrote: »

Who said anything about the partner forcing them to stop?
If I were male and with someone 7 months pregnant, I wouldn't want to be trying to kill myself and leaving them on their own to cope before the kid is even born

He wasn't trying to kill himself. Something went wrong, he died, tragic loss.

Were he to base-jump after the kid was born? 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, 10, 20, at what point does it become ok for him to base-jump again?

I think you are putting a little too much emphasis on the pregnancy part of it.
If he base jumped at any point during 18 years after the kid was born and beyond, it would be just as tragic and the mother would still have to cope on her own regardless.

Having a child should not preclude you to doing stuff you find enjoyable.

Larianne

bluewolf wrote: »

Who said anything about the partner forcing them to stop?
If I were male and with someone 7 months pregnant, I wouldn't want to be trying to kill myself and leaving them on their own to cope before the kid is even born

I see your point but I agree with Cruel Coin. I also scuba dive, which I guess is dangerous enough but if its something you do every weekend or every other weekend, it becomes something natural to do. You do your safety checks etc. and get on with it. It was reported that this guy went base jumping most weekends. He wasn't trying to kill himself. It was just something he did. I'm sure himself or his wife didn't expect anything bad to happen.

Larianne

Larianne wrote: »

I see your point but I agree with Cruel Coin. I also scuba dive, which I guess is dangerous enough but if its something you do every weekend or every other weekend, it becomes something natural to do. You do your safety checks etc. and get on with it. It was reported that this guy went base jumping most weekends. He wasn't trying to kill himself. It was just something he did. I'm sure himself or his wife didn't expect anything bad to happen.

maybe i'm just viewing it through hindsight then
it just seems like a bad time so close to the birth!!

circleskane

his poor wife that's so sad...

looksee

In fairness to the jumper, we have no evidence that he demanded to be rescued, it was his mother who was saying he should have been. And it is a very natural response to bereavement to find someone to blame.

The point a lot of people are missing though is that the only reason for doing this kind of thing is the danger. If you put guaranteed rescue in place it becomes a lot less dangerous, and therefore less of a buzz. You could do an ordinary parachute jump if you just want to experience the sensation of floating to earth. He deliberately created a situation where he was in serious danger, to increase the thrill. That is not to say that he shouldn't do it, but he did it in a situation where rescue was not an easy option because he wanted maximum danger - and he got it.

highfive

It wasn't me! wrote: »

That shows absolutely no understanding of the nature or reason in extreme sports and the like. The guy died pushing his own boundaries, and it's sad, and tragic, but the idea that people shouldn't do this for reasons like potential cost is ridiculous. Similarly, my dad worked in construction. Friends' fathers were soldiers. Plenty of people I knew had parents who worked in risky jobs to feed and clothe them, so the argument that he shouldn't have done it because he was a father is also ridiculous, to my mind. People die every day. Most, however, don't. The day we start wrapping ourselves in bubble wrap, we've lost any hope of ever advancing ourselves.

I have to take you up on this when i see people thanking your post.

Firstly soldiers and farmers pay prsi and probably have occupational insurance., Farming is low risk and soldiers provide basically a public service that needs to be done.

I push myself every day with my sport and it takes effort, im contributing to my classmates experience and im probably not going to bother the health service with anything for a long time. Basejumping requires little effort, it seems to be very dangerous and provides nothing much to society. To be honest while my sport has low risk i get a great rush from it, it keeps me on the edge and makes me feel alive.

Not to put a price on human life and i feel for this mans family but this is allot about cost. I dont understand what the deal was with the helicopter but if the basejumpers can get insurance and the risks can be minimised well then jump away but if not it is quite a bad idea for society to encourage. Especially in this day and age when money scarce we need to be encouraging things that are low cost like say team sports, if thats your thing.

donegal_road

looksee wrote: »

In fairness to the jumper, we have no evidence that he demanded to be rescued, it was his mother who was saying he should have been. And it is a very natural response to bereavement to find someone to blame.

The point a lot of people are missing though is that the only reason for doing this kind of thing is the danger. If you put guaranteed rescue in place it becomes a lot less dangerous, and therefore less of a buzz. You could do an ordinary parachute jump if you just want to experience the sensation of floating to earth. He deliberately created a situation where he was in serious danger, to increase the thrill. That is not to say that he shouldn't do it, but he did it in a situation where rescue was not an easy option because he wanted maximum danger - and he got it.

according to his girlfriend he wanted someone to lower him a rope

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157656/Jake-Simkins-told-girlfriend-Im-OK-rope-Three-hours-later-fell-death.html

there is an eye witness account at the bottom of the article that claims a rescue could have been attempted but no one did anything. The people there must be a right shower

42 and a baby on the way?
Seems like the thrills were his priorities.
He died doing what he loved so, selfish prick.

hooradiation

RVP 11 wrote: »

He died doing what he loved so, selfish prick.

that monster.

hooradiation

hooradiation wrote: »

RVP 11 wrote: »

He died doing what he loved so, selfish prick.

that monster.

Lulz

Paparazzo

Jasus, sometimes AH is actually worse than Joe Duffy. If the guy went out fishing would people be calling him an idiot? Or if he drove a motorcycle and crashed? Or went hillwalking and got lost?
When you have kids or your wife gets pregnant, you can't sit at home and not do anything because you might die.

Paparazzo

Paparazzo wrote: »

Jasus, sometimes AH is actually worse than Joe Duffy. If the guy went out fishing would people be calling him an idiot? Or if he drove a motorcycle and crashed? Or went hillwalking and got lost?
When you have kids or your wife gets pregnant, you can't sit at home and not do anything because you might die.

"Basejumping".......only about as dangerous as hillwalking.
:pac:

Oranage2

Paparazzo wrote: »

Jasus, sometimes AH is actually worse than Joe Duffy. If the guy went out fishing would people be calling him an idiot?

Yes.

Paparazzo wrote: »

Or if he drove a motorcycle and crashed?

Probably.

Paparazzo wrote: »

Or went hillwalking and got lost?

Most definitely.

Paparazzo wrote: »

When you have kids or your wife gets pregnant, you can't sit at home and not do anything because you might die.

Well within reason. He can still play golf and do most things but the problem was he was jumping of the side of a cliff. Platform jumping has a bit more risk than your average game of soccer, and some people he think he was selfish taaking such a risk with a pregnant wife nearly due.

Paparazzo

RVP 11 wrote: »

"Basejumping".......only about as dangerous as hillwalking.
:pac:

It's an unnessary risk, that's the point. And fishing is more dangerous.

Paparazzo

Paparazzo wrote: »

It's an unnessary risk, that's the point. And fishing is more dangerous.

Is it?
I suppose if you're talking about fishing whilst jumping off a cliff, you're right.

Paparazzo

Oranage2 wrote: »

Yes.



Probably.



Most definitely.



Well within reason. He can still play golf and do most things but the problem was he was jumping of the side of a cliff. Platform jumping has a bit more risk than your average game of soccer.

So no one with kids should fish or drive a motorcycle? Jesus, at least your first point was right. Actually, Joe Duffy callers aren't this bad.

looksee

donegal_road wrote: »

according to his girlfriend he wanted someone to lower him a rope

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157656/Jake-Simkins-told-girlfriend-Im-OK-rope-Three-hours-later-fell-death.html

there is an eye witness account at the bottom of the article that claims a rescue could have been attempted but no one did anything. The people there must be a right shower

Well yes, anyone in that situation would be at that stage asking for a bit of help, I still stand by what I said though.

If some random Greek went and jumped off the Cliffs of Moher and got stuck half way down I wonder would there be the same 'they are right ****** for not rescuing him' shouts be going up - or would we have all the local experts telling us how dangerous it would be for a helicopter to go near them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo_m68n2fkA

This looks to be the cliffs he was jumping from.

Close call around the 4:50 mark

davetherave

Mother is just looking for someone to blame.

One of the rotary wing aircraft that the US Coast Guard use is Sikorsky JayHawk. That has a 200 foot hoist on it. Now presume that the pilot is on the top of his game and can hold it steady 20 feet directly above where the cliff face reaches the cliff top. The hoist is going to be a few hundred feet short. Let us presume that they acquire a sturdy rope of sufficient length and send a winchman down, the downwash from the heli is unable to be evenly distributed and will be battering both rescuer and rescuee against the cliff face.
Not to mention the swaying that will be going on at the end of a 700 foot rope dangling from a aircraft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5qWcsAoQLw

That is neither sheer cliff nor, in the context of things, very high. And yet look at the planning and coordination that was needed. It is a bit more complex than "throw a rope down".