Man hoping to break record for living on remote islet rescued by coastguard
Image via Rockall Expedition
An army veteran who had been hoping to break a world record for living on a barren rock in the Atlantic has been rescued by the coastguard after sending a distress call.
Chris ‘Cam’ Cameron, 53, who works as a teacher, had been attempting to live alone on Rockall, an uninhabitable granite islet in the North Atlantic Ocean, for up to 60 days. The previous record was 45 days, achieved in 2014 by Nick Hancock.
Cameron arrived on Rockall on 30 May 2023, but made the distress call at 8.55am on Wednesday (28th June 2023) after 30 days due to ‘declining weather conditions’.
Video courtesy of MPV HIRTA
— Rockall Expedition (@Rockall2023) June 6, 2023
You can see how remote and small Rockall really is! Cam has lots of birds for company!@Soldierscharity @RNRMC @rockallisland #RockallExped #Rockall2023https://t.co/kFm4P7SYEF pic.twitter.com/qOPOthdtbJ
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency sent a search and rescue helicopter from Stornoway, and a fixed-wing aircraft was also sent to support the rescue.
It is reported that much of Cameron’s equipment had been destroyed overnight by high wind and waves, and that he was almost swept away on several occasions.
In a post on Twitter, Cameron’s team confirmed he had been ‘recovered from Rockall, and is safe and in good hands.’ Cameron was taken to Western Isles hospital as a precaution after prolonged exposure.
Cameron is raising money for ABF, the Soldiers’ Charity and the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.
He had been inhabiting an area on Rockall known as Hall’s Ledge, which measures 1.5 by 4 metres, with only seabirds and marine life for company.
*** 18:00 UTC – 28/06/2023 ***
— Rockall Expedition (@Rockall2023) June 28, 2023
Cam has now been recovered from Rockall, and is safe and in good hands. We will post further updates in the coming days.
We will not be conducting interviews at this time.
A statement posted by Cameron’s family reads: “We are hugely proud of all his achievements but also that he had the courage to make what must have been a very difficult decision in the face of such dreadful weather.
“We are looking forward to welcoming him home and hope that any future adventures will be a little less risky. Why couldn’t he just have bought a sports car in the first place?”
