A weekend adventure turned perilous when a 37-year-old woman fell 30 feet from a cliff in the Sandia Mountains, prompting an extraordinary multi-agency rescue effort.
The incident occurred on the morning of August 3, 2024, during a climb in the rugged terrain of New Mexico. The climber, whose name has not been released, lost her footing and tumbled down the cliffside. Despite the fall, she survived with severe injuries, officials reported to local news outlets KOB and the Albuquerque Journal.
The rescue operation mobilized 10 specialized teams from various New Mexico agencies. At approximately 11:44 a.m., rescuers located the injured climber. Upon assessing her condition, they swiftly arranged for an air medical evacuation.
Footage released by Albuquerque Fire Rescue captures the dramatic rescue. In the video, a helicopter hovers above the steep, rocky landscape, framed by the vast expanse of piñon trees. A rescuer and the climber, secured in a rescue basket, are slowly hoisted into the aircraft. The precarious moment of the helicopter moving forward before the duo is fully inside adds to the tension, but both are safely brought onboard.
The climber was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, where she received emergency medical care.
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