Dutch honeymooner becomes first person to survive fall from 1200m cliff in Sri Lanka

A Dutch man on his honeymoon has become the first person to survive a fall from an infamous 1200m cliff in Sri Lanka. 

The 35-year-old man was taking photos of his new bride when he tumbled over the World's End cliff, which did not have a barrier to stop him.

"He was extremely lucky because he fell on top of a tree about 130 feet (approximately 40m) from the top," Sri Lankan army spokesman Jayanath Jayaweera told AFP. 

"He is the first person to survive a fall from World's End."

Troops used ropes to reach the man and winch him to safety. Some 40 soldiers were involved in the initial rescue which was later backed by a military helicopter.

The man had to be evacuated from the area, however, on the shoulders of troops who carried him over a distance of five kilometres to the nearest point at which he could be driven to hospital.

"His condition is stable and he is out of danger," a police official said.

The World's End cliff is the main attraction at the Horton Plains nature reserve in central Sri Lanka and is a key tourist attraction.

With AFP.