Driver survives 20ft digger plunge into sea

Aaron Morby 11 years ago
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A digger driver is lucky to be alive after his machine plunged 20ft off a sea wall in Portland, Dorset.

The mini digger he was driving toppled into Crown Wharf in Castletown at low-tide on Saturday afternoon leaving the half-submerged machine resting on its side on the seabed.

Emergency services had to race against an incoming tide to free the trapped operator before a coastguard helicopter winched him to safety and airlifted him to a hospital in Southampton.

Eye-witnesses said the man was lucky not to have been crushed in the fall.

He suffered from serious but not life threatening injuries including a broken leg.

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