British tourist hospitalised after falling from Vietnam cliff when he was hit by a falling rock

A British tourist has been hospitalized after climbing a rock face in Vietnam and falling while taking a selfie.

The man climbed the rock face, which locals call the “Cliff of Death”, in Xeo Sa Lung village, Pai Lung township of Meo Vac district on March 17.

While taking a selfie in front of the scenic view, he was hit by a rock falling from above, causing him to fall and badly injure his left leg.

Pai Lung first responders arrived at the scene and administered first aid. He was then taken by ambulance to Ha Giang General Hospital.

Hospital officials said his condition was quite serious, with his left leg shattered and his calf lacerated.

Medics applied bandages and splints to stop the bleeding and gave the patient pain relief before taking him to a larger hospital in the capital Hanoi.

Officials say the Cliff of Death, which sits next to the popular Ma Pi Leng pass, is dangerous, with many large, unstable boulders piled on top of each other.

Tourists often climb the cliff to take photos on a rock formation with spectacular views, despite the lack of safety rails and the often slippery conditions.

There are reportedly several signs warning tourists not to climb the rock face, as well as fences blocking access to the area, which are regularly ignored, officials say.

In January 2021, a tourist slipped and fell off the Cliff of Death while taking pictures and landed in a crevasse, sustaining injuries.

At the time of reporting, the man’s name and age were withheld.

In December last year, an Irish tourist fell to his death after leaning out of a moving train in Thailand to take photos, police said. He was on a railway line known as the “death railway” that connects Thailand and Burma.

The man was identified as 45-year-old Patrick Ward, whose passport said he was born in New Zealand but also holds Irish nationality.

Police Major Kiatisak Kerdchok of the Sai Yok Police Department said that as the train slowed down at a scenic spot, Ward opened a door in the carriage and fell seven to eight meters from a ramp, according to witnesses.

Rescue workers and emergency services rushed to the spot where he had fallen. Unable to access the area where he lay, they were forced to assemble a pulley system to lower themselves to reach him.

Thai police said when rescuers reached him, Mr Ward was barely breathing and his arm and neck were broken.

The emergency services spent half an hour resuscitating him, but were unable to save him.

The rock face called the ‘Cliff of Death’. While taking a selfie in front of the scenic view, the British tourist was hit by a rock falling from above, causing him to fall and injure his leg