Two European tourists are in hospital after falling from a cliff into the ocean on Tasmania’s Tasman Peninsula.
The ordeal unfolded on Sunday afternoon near Port Arthur when the pair, a man in his 20s and a woman, reportedly wandered off the Mount Brown track.
Constable James Blay from Nubeena Police Station said both tourists fell into the water around 4pm.
While the woman managed to swim back to shore and climb to safety with minor injuries, the man was swept out to sea.
Emergency services, including the rescue helicopter, were dispatched to the scene to conduct a search and rescue operation.
The man was eventually located around 200 metres from shore and pulled from the ocean by a Pennicott Wilderness Tours vessel at 4:50pm.
He was then picked up by the rescue helicopter and flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital with suspected hypothermia.
His partner was also taken to the hospital for treatment of her minor injuries.
Constable Blay thanked members of the public who assisted with the rescue and provided what he called “vital information”.
He said the incident serves as a “timely reminder” for bushwalkers to be well-prepared, stay on the track and follow safety warnings.
“In this particular case the ending could have been a lot worse. It simply isn’t worth taking the risk and leaving the designated track,” he said.
