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

A British tourist has been hospitalised after he climbed an out-of-bounds rock face in Vietnam and fell while he was taking a selfie.

The man climbed the rock face, which locals refer to as the ‘Cliff of Death’, in Xeo Sa Lung village, Pai Lung commune, Meo Vac district on March 17.

While taking a selfie in front of the scenic view, he was struck by a rock that fell from above, causing him to fall and badly injured his left leg.

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

Hospital officials said he was in fairly serious condition, with his left leg crushed in parts and his calf torn.

The rock face referred to as the ‘Cliff of Death’ (file photo). The British tourist climbed the rock face in Xeo Sa Lung village, Pai Lung commune, Meo Vac district on March 17

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

Officials say the Cliff of Death, which is located alongside the popular Ma Pi Leng Pass, is dangerous, with many large, unstable boulders stacked on top of each other.

Tourists often scale the cliff to take photos on a rock formation overlooking a spectacular view, despite the lack of safety rails and the often slippery conditions.

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

In January 2021, a tourist slipped and fell from the Cliff of Death while taking photos and landed in a crevice, sustaining injuries.

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

The rock face referred to as the ‘Cliff of Death’ (file photo). While taking a selfie in front of the scenic view, the British tourist was struck by a rock that fell from above, causing him to fall and badly injured his left leg

In December last year, an Irish tourist fell to his death after leaning out of a moving train in Thailand to take pictures, police said. He was on a railroad 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 is also an Irish national.

Police Major Kiatisak Kerdchok of Sai Yok police said that according to witnesses, when the train slowed down at a scenic spot, Ward opened a door in the carriage and fell 7 to 8 metres down a slope.

Rescuers and emergency services rushed to the spot where he had fallen. Unable to access the area where he now lay, they were forced to put together a pulley system to lower themselves to reach him.

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

The emergency services spent half an hour trying to resuscitate him but were unable to save him.