Fatal fall on Gros Cap cliff

A 21-year-old man is dead after falling last night off a cliff at Gros Cap.

The man fell about 50 feet down the granite cliff side, which was reported to be wet at the time of the accident.

It took 40 minutes for rescue workers to reach the man by water.

The following press release was issued by police this morning: **************************************************************** Yesterday at approximately 7:02 p.m. patrol officers from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service were called to Gros Cap regarding a male who had fallen off a cliff while on a hike.

At this time police met up with Prince Township Fire Department Volunteers to assist the victim.

With the volunteers, police hiked along trails and rocks approximately one kilometre to where he was located near the Pebbles Beach area.

The victim was found to be unconscious and bleeding heavily from his head, nose and ear area.

Police officers, assisted by fire department volunteers strapped the victim onto a board in order to carry him down along the cliff side approximately another 75-foot vertical down to the beach area.

First aid treatment was then provided.

Sault Search and Rescue Volunteers attended at the scene and assisted with a boat to transport the victim from the beach to the ambulance crew waiting for him near the dockside of Gros Cap.

The ambulance service transported the victim to the hospital for treatment.

Police investigation revealed that at approximately 5 p.m. the victim and his friend, a 22-year-old male, were hiking on the trails at Gros Cap.

The pair decided that they wanted to walk along the rocks on the water side of the cliff.

In making his way down to the lower rocks, the victim appeared to slide on some wet granite or dirt and fell approximately 50 feet down the cliff side.

The victim came to rest on his back on a big bolder. He was unconscious and his hiking partner immediately ran back to Gros Cap to summons help.

The victim, a 21-year-old male from Hanover, Ontario, who was residing in Sault Ste. Marie, was pronounced dead at the Sault Area Hospital later last evening.

The name of the deceased is being withheld, pending notification of next of kin.

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