A man who fell 50ft from a Scots cliff with his girlfriend has been released from hospital.
Alesha Wright, 18, died after the incident in Thurso, Caithness, which also left Dominic Long, 26, with serious injuries on Monday, July 11. An air ambulance and coastguard crews attended but Alesha was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dominic was being treated in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and last week it was understood he was in a critical condition. Police have now been confirmed that he has since been released by medics.
Alesha’s death is still being treated as “unexplained” and police are aiming to establish what caused the pair to fall from Victoria Walk, a beauty spot in the town.
Officers from Police Scotland are continuing to appeal for information. Last week a police source told the Record: “We have been canvassing for witnesses in the area at the time and will be tracing anyone who may have seen anything relevant to our investigation.
"We know Alesha spoke to her mum just a few hours before and was her usual self, there was nothing in her manner to suggest anything of concern. The family quite rightly just want to know how this has happened and we are making every effort to ensure we can provide them with answers.”
Alesha's family released a heartbreaking statement on Thursday night in which they paid tribute to the popular young woman.
They said: “We are absolutely devastated to have lost our darling Alesha, who was a much loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to many. As parents, the thought of outliving Alesha was inconceivable and we ask for our privacy to be respected at this extremely distressing time.”
Tributes flooded in on social media and Dominic’s brother, Liam wrote: “She was my sister, I thought her and my brother would be together forever, it breaks me to think how he must be feeling, if I lost the girl I loved I wouldn’t want to live any more.”
Friend Mary Dasent wrote: “Alesha, I never got to see you grow up to be the beautiful girl you turned out to be. Heaven has gained a beautiful angel you have always been in my thoughts. Sleep tight sweet angel.
“My condolences to Debbie and family can’t imagine how you all feeling. My thoughts with you all.’
Margaret Mackenzie said: “Such a delightful young girl, taken too soon.”
Lifeboat crews confirmed they were called to the scene shortly after 6pm on Monday night. In a post on the Thurso Lifeboat team said: “The Y boat was beached and the two crew members quickly located the two casualties, one male and one female.
“The crew members attended to them until the arrival of a paramedic who was winched down from the search and rescue helicopter from Inverness.
"The young man was winched up by the helicopter to a waiting ambulance. The female casualty was transferred to a stretcher and taken by the Y boat to The Taylors and then taken to Scrabster where she was transferred into the care of Police Scotland.”
As officers continued to appeal for information, Detective Inspector Richard Baird said: “It is vital we piece together exactly what happened in the lead up to their fall and we are carrying out a number of enquiries to establish this information.
“Victoria Walk is a popular area and I would appeal to anyone who may have seen them walking there or any drivers who were in the area who have dash-cam footage, to speak to officers.
“I would ask anyone with information or personal footage that may assist our ongoing enquiry to contact officers through 101 quoting reference number 2876 of July 11.”
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