Enthralled Pokemon Go players fall off a cliff
The hunt is on and some players' lust for Pokemon has them blind to their surroundings.
Catch them all, but catch them safely.
What could possibly go wrong as people run around hunting down little digital creatures while staring intently at their phones? Here's one thing. On Wednesday, two men fell off a cliff near the ocean in Encinitas, California, while playing Pokemon Go.
One landed on the bluffs 50 feet (15 meters) below, and one landed all the way down on the beach about 80 feet (24 meters) down. Encinitas Fire and Marine safety responded to the cliff rescue.
According to a release from the City of Encinitas, "both patients were transported to Scripps La Jolla Trauma Center with moderate injuries." The release ends with a reminder to "stay clear of all bluffs, overhangs and cliffs."
The man who fell to the beach told sheriff's deputies the two were playing Pokemon Go when they had the accident, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The rescue required ropes and harnesses to remove the man from the bluff.
Pokemon Go passed 15 million downloads on Wednesday. Perhaps what's most surprising is that relatively few serious accidents have been reported so far. A player crashed a car earlier this week while allegedly engrossed in the game. The driver is fine, but the front end of the car collected a large tree trunk and the vehicle looks to be a loss.
Obsession over the game played into an on-air prank on Monday when a news anchor crossed in front of a weatherman's live forecast in her pursuit of Pokemon. Another player made a splash by falling into a pond. It goes to show that not everyone is taking the game's opening warning very seriously. In case you need a reminder, it reads, "Remember to be alert at all times. Stay aware of your surroundings."
