Daring La Rioja Helicopter Rescue After 130-Foot Free Fall

This is the moment a bleeding mountaineer is taken to safety in a daring helicopter rescue after surviving a 131-foot fall.

The dramatic rescue was carried out by the Spanish Civil Guard on the San Lorenzo mountain in the La Rioja autonomous community in northern Spain.

The officers were carrying out a protection and safety service in the Valdezcaray ski area when they spotted the 37-year-old mountaineer, who has not been named in reports, fall 40 metres (131 feet) in free fall before sliding a further 100 metres (328 feet) down the slope and coming to a halt.

The Civil Guard officers ran to the scene and offered first aid but a helicopter was called as the man had suffered multiple cuts to his head and other injuries.

In the video, the team can be seen working to lift the stretcher with the injured man onto into a helicopter in thick snow.

They shuffle down the snow and lift the man, whose head can be seen bleeding, into the helicopter.

The 37-year-old was taken to the San Pedro de Logrono hospital where he was diagnosed with a dislocated elbow and possible fracture to his forearm.

The manager of the ski station Gonzalo Morras said: “He was very lucky considering the place from where he fell.”

Netizen ‘Gerardo Hernando’ commented: “Excellent work, once again, by the Civil Guard and the Rescue Team on the mountain. Congratulations.”

San Lorenzo is the highest peak in La Rioja at 2,271 metres (7,447 feet) above sea level.