4-year-old survives fall off cliff while hiking with parents, lands 70 ft below

The boy and his parents were hiking near Princess Arch on Friday when he slipped fell, hitting “multiple ledges” before landing about 70 feet (21 meters) below

A four-year-old boy who fell off a 70-foot cliff at Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky suffered a few scratches and bruises, but walked away without any severe injuries, officials said.

When Wolfe County Search and Rescue arrived on the scene, they were relieved to find the boy alert and talking. (HT Photo)

The boy and his parents were hiking near Princess Arch on Friday when he slipped fell, hitting “multiple ledges” before landing about 70 feet (21 meters) below, the Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team told news outlets. The father scrambled after the boy and called for help.

When Wolfe County Search and Rescue arrived on the scene, they were relieved to find the boy alert and talking.

“Miraculously, the child was relatively unscathed. He’s kind of scraped up and bruised but otherwise generally unhurt,” said Drew Stevens, spokesperson for Wolfe County Search and Rescue.

He was taken to a hospital for evaluation and checked out fine, Stevens said.

The sandstone arches and towering cliffs in the 42,000-acre (17,000 hectare) geological area southeast of Lexington attract hundreds of thousands of hikers, rock climbers, kayakers and campers each year.