Teen lucky to be alive after she survives five-metre fall off Manly cliff after slipping

EIGHTEEN-year-old Louise Jacobsson thought she was going to die as she fell from a cliff at North Head - but she told her mum that an instinctive split-second decision saved her life.

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An instinctive decision to land on her feet while falling five metres on to rocks below is what saved the life of a teenager at Blue Fish Point at Sydney’s north head on the weekend.

Louise Jacobsson, 18, was walking on rocks down to the local spot at around midday on Saturday with her boyfriend James Dee, 18, when she slipped and fell on to rocks below.

Louise Jacobsson thought she was going to die when she slipped from the clifftop

Her mother, Jane Gibson, told The Manly Daily that her daughter’s quick decision saved her life.

“Once she realised she was falling – apart from thinking she was going to die – she said something came over her and she thought I have to land the best I can to try and prevent damage to my neck and back,” she said.

“So she forced herself to lean forward and land on her feet and hands and that decision saved her life.”

Louise getting rescued. Pic: Channel 9

Louise Jacobsson. Picture: Supplied.

The former Manly Selective student’s boyfriend James said the pair were wearing thongs at the time, which made it more slippery.

“We were pretty much all the way there but there was a slippery bit, which I told her about, but she slipped over the edge.”

Mr Dee said he raced down to see her, terrified. He then realised she had landed on her feet.

“They bore the brunt of the fall,” he said.

The location where Louise fell.

“She was in shock and we were just trying to keep her as comfortable and calm as possible.”

With limited phone reception, James had to leave Louise to find a spot to call her parents.

Mrs Gibson said the call she received was hard to understand. “I heard him say something bad has happened, it’s not good, you have to be here.”

Fortunately, a number of locals at the rock pool who saw the accident were able to assist until emergency services arrived.

Louise getting rescued. Picture: Channel 9

Louise was winched to safety then flown to Royal North Shore hospital.

Louise underwent five hours of surgery on Sunday, with her feet and ankles currently being held together by plates and multiple pins.

Louise is expected to be in a wheelchair for at least six weeks, in plaster boots for six weeks and then three to six months in physiotherapy. Mrs Gibson said her daughter is grateful and thankful to be alive.

“She can’t believe what has happened.”