RUMNEY – An 11-year-old girl rock climbing with a Rhode Island group suffered multiple injuries yesterday when she fell more than 40 feet from a cliff at the Rumney Rocks.

She was rescued by a group of more than 15 Rumney Fire and Rescue and volunteers who passed her stretcher over steep boulders through rugged terrain to get her to the hospital.

A 13-year-old fellow camper suffered a minor arm injury in the incident as well.

Hannah Megard, 11, of Cranston, R.I., was taken to Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth after the three-hour rescue.

She suffered head injuries and had a possible back injury from the fall, which occurred about 1 p.m.

Rescuers said it appeared Megard landed on her head and it was likely her helmet saved her life.

Robin Berk, 13, of Waban, Mass., was holding Megard's rope when Megard fell. She said she did not know how she was hurt but that something must have struck her arm during the fall.

Rumney rescue workers and volunteers move an 11-year-old Rhode Island girl who fell from a cliff at Rumney Rocks. (PAULA TRACY)

The two were among 10 children ages 11 to 13 who are part of a weeklong rock-climbing camp operated by the Rhode Island Rock Gym of Lincoln, R.I. According to its Web site, the New Hampshire Explorers overnight camping trip is designed for younger climbers.

Nina Williams, a junior counselor, said the group was staying at Plymouth Sands Campground for the week and yesterday was the first formal day of technical rock climbing for the group.

The group, which included two adult rock-climbing instructors and three junior counselors, set out to an area of the cliffs known as the Hinterlands on the western side of the rock-climbing area and were climbing a moderate climb on the face when Megard fell.

Witnesses said they believe she may have accidentally unclipped her own line before the fall.

Rumney Fire and Rescue crews climbed through the boulders to the site where the girl lay and carefully loaded her into a litter. They were assisted by fellow rock climbers in the area who joined in the arduous carry-out, which at times required them to pass the litter down with a rope tied to the end.

Rumney Police Chief William Main said the effort took at least 10 volunteer firefighters from the community and neighboring responders much of the afternoon, but it was able to be carried out without an injury to rescuers.

Williams said two members of the group had cell phones and one had a signal that made them able to summons help.

Officials at Speare Memorial Hospital did not give a condition report on Megard last night.