A 12-year-old boy was airlifted to the hospital after falling into a river at a scenic spot in Dartmoor over the weekend. The incident occurred at Spitchwick on Dartmoor, a popular area for swimming along the River Dart on Saturday. Emergency services swiftly responded to the scene, closing the road temporarily to aid in the rescue operation.
The Devon Air Ambulance reached the location approximately 15 minutes after the boy plunged into the water around noon on July 11. According to an eyewitness cited by Devon Live, the boy slipped while cliff jumping. The quick and coordinated response involved various entities such as Dartmoor rangers, Devon and Cornwall Police, and paramedics. Despite the road closure for an hour, normalcy was restored thereafter.
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team – Ashburton, shared details of the incident on their Facebook page, mentioning their involvement in assisting the injured child. Team members helped transport the boy on a stretcher to a Devon Air Ambulance Trust helicopter. Given the busy nature of the spot on a warm day, emergency vehicles managed traffic until the air ambulance departed. The rescue team conveyed well wishes for the boy’s speedy recovery.
