Wipe out! Moment a teenager is engulfed by a huge wave as he poses on rocks at the Giant’s Causeway
- Conan Griffin, 18, was hit by a large wave in County Antrim, Northern Ireland
- His friend Kallum Clark, 18, filmed the fall and posted it on Twitter on Monday
- Conan suffered painful red burns after being dragged across jagged rocks
A man was wiped out by a huge wave and dragged across jagged rocks in front of a group of a group of tourists.
Conan Griffin, 18, was ‘cleaned’ out by the powerful surf at the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
The impact was caught on camera by Conan’s friend Kallum Clark, 18, who posted a video on Twitter on Monday.
Conan suffered painful red burns from where he was dragged across the rocks at the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Conan Griffin, 18, wiped out by a huge wave and dragged across jagged rocks in front of a group of a group of tourists at the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Conan suffered painful red burns from where he was dragged across the rocks but his friend Kallum Clark, 18, confirmed he wasn’t too badly hurt
In the video, Conan gingerly walks across the wet rocks as the waves build up in the background.
He turns to the camera and gives the thumbs up before beginning to brace for the wave, turning back around to face it.
The wave comes crashing over the rocks, engulfing the 18-year-old completely in white water.
His leg pokes out of the surf as he is dragged across the rocks back towards the camera.
Conan’s legs poke out the white surf after the huge wave completely engulfs him and drags him across the rocky surface
He turns to the camera and gives the thumbs up before beginning to brace for the wave behind him
Kallum posted the video on Twitter with the caption: ‘What about Griff getting cleaned by a wave at Giant’s Causeway in front of a crowd of tourists.’
Some social media users saw the funny side of the video, which has racked up more than 9,000 likes.
Cian Byrne wrote: ‘Giving it the guns before bouncing off every stone in the place hahahahahaha.’
Adam Turner said ‘hahaha, brutal’, while Lewis Maclean added ‘that’s got to hurt’ and Jayne George wrote ‘Darwin theory in practice’.
Some social media users warned of the dangers of ignoring safety advice to stay off the rocks at Giant’s Causeway (pictured)
Others warned of the dangers of ignoring safety advice to stay off the rocks at Giant’s Causeway.
One wrote: ‘Given the extreme danger of this coastline and the extent to which this young man is contravening safety advice, as a local related to rescue service members I’d strongly advocate not glorifying such dangerous behaviour.
‘Sorry – don’t mean to be a killjoy.’
Another said: ‘I remember a tourist doing this a few years back. They were swept away to their death.’
Speaking yesterday, Kallum confirmed Conan wasn’t too badly hurt. He said: ‘Yeah he was grand, just a few grazes and cuts here and there.’
HOW OLD IS GIANT’S CAUSEWAY?
Giant’s Causeway takes up about four miles of the coast of Northern Ireland.
About 40,000 stone pillars make up the tourist attraction, and these pillars typically include five to seven sides.
According to Britannica, the site was formed 50 to 60 million years ago.
It was formed during the Paleogene Period and was the result of lava creeping toward the coast but cooling after making contact with the sea.
Giant’s Causeway was first recorded in 1693, and it has been a point of intrigue for geologists.
It is managed by the National Trust, an organisation in charge of preserving natural wonders.
In 1986 it became a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the protected area is home to about 50 species of birds and upwards of 200 plant species.