A promising middle school diver thought she was paralysed after jumping off a cliff at a popular surf spot at low tide.
Sarah Jacka, 12, broke three bones in her legs and one in her ankle when she did a pin-drop jump off The Pillars cliffs in Mount Martha along the Mornington Peninsula on New Year’s Day.
Her dad Chris was filming the plunge from the family’s boat when he heard the ‘harrowing’ screams from his daughter.
The year seven student was rescued by surf guards and taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital where she underwent surgery on Tuesday once her swelling subsided.
Now Sarah and her dad are echoing the message from rescue teams to try and stop others from taking the same risk she did when she jumped from The Pillars.
When Sarah hit the ocean floor she immediately lost all feeling in her legs and assumed she would be paralysed.
‘I was like, ‘oh my god I’ve paralysed myself’. I couldn’t feel my legs at all,’ she told 9News.
Sarah was rushed to the Children’s Hospital where X-rays revealed she had suffered bilateral fractures below both knees and three more in her right ankle.
Once her condition had stabilised she was transferred to the Epworth hospital in Richmond for reconstructive surgery.
Chris praised his daughter for being a ‘trooper’ during the recovery process which is expected to last for the next six months.
Sarah has now returned home and is using her dad’s mechanical trolley to get around the house while her legs are cast.
Prior to the accident she was considered an elite athlete and was a former gymnast who was competing in the state diving team.
‘It’s a bit sad because I’m so active and its really hard not being able to do sport,’ she said.
Days prior to Sarah shattering her legs, a 24-year-old man had to be rescued after jumping from the same area and landing on his neck.
A surf rescue team was sent to rescue the man who was semi-conscious but unable to walk at the time.
One member of the team said these incidents were becoming more common and that each one required a specialist group to navigate the difficult cliffside areas.
Mount Martha cliff is Crown land and the local council said it had installed ‘don’t jump’ signs near The Pillars to prevent further incidents like these from happening.
Sarah said that she will not be making the jump again once she recovers and Chris said the two will now encourage others to think twice before trying it themselves.
‘It’s not worth the injury, it’s not worth the risk for that 30 seconds of adrenaline,’ Chris said.
Share or comment on this article: Mount Martha Pillars cliffs in Mornington Peninsula: Painful moment girl, 12, shattered both her legs leaping off a cliff – as she issues a warning to other thrill seekers
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
