Air ambulance called for triathlon cyclist injured at harbour

This morning, Folkestone Rescue were providing safety for the 2019 Channel Triathlon, monitoring swim section participants in Rescue 4.

After safely completing the swim section, participants then moved on to the run and cycle sections of the race. Rescue 4 retrieved the course marker buoys, and then returned to base.

Crew then received a call that a participant had sustained serious leg injuries from colliding with bollards at speed, while cycling along the course at the bottom of Tram Road. Paramedics working with the event and South East Coast Ambulance Service were at the scene within minutes.

As the Air Ambulance had been requested, crew were asked to clear Sunny Sands to provide a landing site, before the decision was made to land the air ambulance at the Harbour Arm car park for better access. Crew then assisted race marshals with slow moving traffic at the incident location, due to the junction being partially obscured by emergency vehicles.

The casualty was taken a short distance by ambulance to the Harbour Arm, and then to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford by air ambulance.