Durdle Door

When landing computers you need as much space as possible.
That rectangular design with cables all along one side makes for a very unstable aerofoil.
And accidently ejecting the CD causes the aerodynamics to go out the window.

 

**EDIT**
It appears they didn't jump from the top, but some 70' up according to the rescue team.

The cliff is nominally 200' high and according to several dive sites the maximum depth around the arch is 15m.
I'd need the Darwin candidates weight to calculate his terminal (no pun intended) velocity, it safe to say that over 1 second drop would put them at over 70mph.... into something that would feel like concrete at that speed. Ouch.

Cliff diving from any height can't be called safe -- it's one of the most dangerous extreme sports. In fact, official tourism sites of popular cliff diving destinations don't promote the activity.

Cliff diving puts tremendous stresses on your body. If you jump from 20 feet (6 meters) above the water, you'll hit the water at 25 mph (40 kph) -- the impact is strong enough to compress your spine, break bones or give you a concussion [source: Glen Canyon Natural History Association]. But that's only if you enter feet-first in a straight, vertical line -- a horizontal, or "pancake," landing is like hitting concrete. Halving the height of the jump to 10 feet (3 meters), as mentioned earlier, reduces your speed of impact to 17 mph (27 kph), and even cars sustain damage when hit at that speed.
Because of the high potential for injury, the World High Diving Federation recommends that no one dive from 20 meters (65.5 feet) or higher unless there are professional rescue scuba divers stationed in the water [source: World High Diving Federation]. Bruises, dislocated joints, broken bones, compressed spine, injured discs, paralysis and death are among the injuries that cliff divers experience.

Competitive cliff divers dive from heights of 59 to 85 feet (18-26 meters), but professional show divers in Acapulco, the La Quebrada Cliff Divers, sometimes jump from 148 feet (45 meters) above the water [sources: World High Dive Federation, Red Bull Media Service, Vacations Made Easy]. These show divers survive to dive another day because they've trained for years, are familiar with the area and adjust their dives according to fluctuating wave and water conditions. But even they occasionally sustain injuries.

The WHDF considers water depths of 43 to 49 feet (13 to 15 meters) adequate for dives from 65 feet (20 meters) or less, but water clarity is also a critical factor for cliff diving safety. Hitting the water badly from a height can cause injury, but hitting something in the water -- a rock, a branch, the bottom, even a fish -- or the water body's floor can be fatal. Choppy waters and high waves often obscure the surface of the water and interfere with the precision of entry, but world champion cliff diver Orlando Duque says that waves break the surface of the water and soften impact. Entering the water on the peak of a wave shortens the dive, and any acrobatics must be completed early in the dive so you can get your body into proper position for water entry.

 

World record high dives[edit]
There is considerable debate surrounding record claims for the highest dive, which largely revolves around criteria for what constitutes a valid dive.[16] ABC's Wide World of Sports produced world record high dives for its Emmy award-winning sports anthology show for more than a decade. They required contestants to dive or execute at least one somersault and exit the water without the assistance of others. In 1983 Wide World of Sports produced its last World Record High Dive at Sea World in San Diego. Five divers (Rick Charls, Rick Winters, Dana Kunze, Bruce Boccia and Mike Foley) successfully executed dives from 172 ft.[17] In 1985 Randy Dickison dove from 174 ft 8 inches at Ocean Park in Hong Kong but sustained a broken femur and could not exit the water on his own.[18]

In 1987, Olivier Favre attempted a double back somersault from 177 ft but broke his back upon impact and had to be rescued.[19] Laso Schaller's 2015 jump from a 193 ft cliff in Switzerland may not be considered a dive based on ABC's criteria (one somersault needed)[20], however he is the current record holder for Highest dive from a diving board according to the Guinness Book of Records [21], simultaneously holding the Highest Cliff Jump record for the same jump. [22]

Men[edit]
Date High diver Place Height Video Notes
4 August 2015 Lazaro Schaller Maggia, Switzerland 58.8 m (192 ft 10 in) [23] Highest dive from a high diving board and Highest Cliff Jump as per Guinness Book of World Records [24][25]
March 1983 Rick Winters SeaWorld San Diego 52.4 m (172 ft) [26] ABC's Wide World of Sports - World Record High Dive Challenge
March 1983 Rick Charls SeaWorld San Diego 52.4 m (172 ft) [27] ABC's Wide World of Sports - World Record High Dive Challenge
March 1983 Dana Kunze SeaWorld San Diego 52.4 m (172 ft) [28] ABC's Wide World of Sports - World Record High Dive Challenge
March 1983 Bruce Boccia SeaWorld San Diego 52.4 m (172 ft) [29] ABC's Wide World of Sports - World Record High Dive Challenge
March 1983 Mike Foley SeaWorld San Diego 52.4 m (172 ft) [30] ABC's Wide World of Sports - World Record High Dive Challenge
7 April 1985 Randy Dickison Ocean Park Hong Kong 53.2 m (172 ft 8 in)[31] [32] Failed attempt, multiple fractures of the left leg prevented diver from exiting the pool unassisted.[31]
30 August 1987 Olivier Favre Villers-le-Lac, France 53.9 m (177 ft) [33] Failed attempt. Broke his back upon impact with water and had to be rescued.[16]
27 September 1997 Rudolf Bok Žďákovský most, Czech republic 58.28 m (191 ft) [34] This was a jump not a dive. Fracture of the thoracic vertebrae and other internal injuries, no surgery[35]

 

No one died at least


*CALL OUTS* 26 - 28. 30/05/20

An afternoon none of our team will forget in a hurry.

The pagers sounded at 15:50, Solent asked the team to assist South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with a casulty who had been pulled from the sea bed after jumping from Durdle Door. Also tasked were Lulworth First Responders Kimmeridge Coastguard, Weymouth Lifeboat, Dorset Police, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Coastguard Rescue 175.

Arriving on scene, the team made their way down the steps to the beach, locating the casualty near to the base of the steps.

He was receiving help from the medical professionals already on scene. Lulworth CRT began to create a landing site for the helicopter.

The beach had thousands of people on it and we thank the majority of people who complied with our shouting to clear a helicopter landing site, a very difficult challenge.

Helimed landed on the beach. We were then made aware of a second casualty 2/3 of the way around the beach who had also jumped from the door. Somehow he had managed stagger back to his friends before falling very unwell.

The paramedics deemed his injuries very serious and requested that like the first casualty, he be flown to the major trauma centre in Southampton.

Team members and police now had to clear a second landing site for Rescue 175 which had been circling the area. The beach was cleared, many day trippers now on Scratchy Bottom beach.

The second helicopter landed, unloaded their paramedic and stretcher before returning to base to refuel. The second casualty was carefully prepared for hospital.

The first helicopter then left scene, flying at best speed to Southampton. The police then declared the beach to be closed. The thousands caught in-between the two landing sites now asked to leave the beach.

Our Senior Coastal Operations Officer had been maintaining communications on high ground when a third casualty made himself known to him. He had also jumped from Durdle Door and had serious injuries to his torso. An ambulance crew (one of five on site) dealt with his injuries and took him to Dorset County Hospital on Dorchester.

Rescue 175 was now back on scene and landed again on the beach. The second casualty was loaded on board, and flown to Southampton.

The remaining beach goers were now asked to leave.

The police had to deal with alcohol fuelled minor scuffles, as well as a small but out of control fire from a BBQ.

On returning up the steps, a fourth casualty had identified on high ground above Durdle Door. The lady had a suspected broken ankle and due to gradient of the hill, a stretcher carry out was too risky. Coastgaurd Rescue 187 from St Athan was sent to the area. They dropped their paramedics on top of the hill, and walked down to the lady. She was placed in a rescue strop and winched into the aircraft. They flew her to the top of the hill and transferred her to a land ambulance.

After a debrief, Lulworth and Kimmeridge retuned to their stations at about 21:30.

We understand that four individuals jumped from Durdle Door (some 70ft) yesterday, encouraged by the crowds on the beach.
Two of which are now seriously injured.

Upsetting scenes like we and many others witnessed yesterday illustrate how very dangerous tombstoning is. We couldn’t discourage it enough.

Thank you everyone who helped in one way or another yesterday including the Lulworth Estate staff who, as usual, were integral to keeping traffic flowing aiding emergency vehicles entering the area.

We wish all the casualties the very best.

We would also like to reiterate our thanks to the vast majority of beach goers who were patient and cooperative in what was very difficult situation. Described as a critical incident by police.