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Blue Mountains - male climber injured after fall |
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14-Apr-2013 7:05:47 PM
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Fairly limited details, but according to Blue Mountains Police Rescue a male climber (age not given) had to be winched out by an Ambulance helicopter after a fall at Sublime Point this afternoon.
The injured climber apparently suffered fractures to both legs in the fall.
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14-Apr-2013 7:34:52 PM
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Yeow! My thoughts are with the casualty and any other participants. Hope everyone comes out of this situation alright.
From News.com.au;
Rock climber falls in Blue Mountains
AAP
April 14, 2013 6:59PM
A ROCK climber has suffered leg injuries after falling down a cliff in the Blue Mountains.
The man, 25, was climbing a rock face at Leura when he fell around 1pm (AEST) on Sunday, landing about 50 metres from the base.
Paramedics responded to the incident, with a doctor abseiling down the cliff face to the injured climber and then managing to puts his legs in splints.
The NSW Ambulance Service said a rescue helicopter was flown in in an attempt to extract the stricken climber but could not winch him off the rock face.
An attempt was being made on Sunday afternoon to abseil the injured man down the cliff, and then winch him out.
An Ambulance Service spokesman told AAP there was a chance the man would have to spend the night in the bush with ambulance officers.
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15-Apr-2013 9:33:54 AM
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SMH today:
A 27-year-old injured rock climber has been winched to safety after falling down a cliff at Leura in the Blue Mountains.
The man is believed to have hit the rock face while falling about 15 metres on Sunday afternoon, breaking both his ankles.
Paramedics had feared the man would have to spend the night in the bush, after the rescue helicopter was unable to winch him from the cliff face.
An off-duty doctor abseiled to the man and placed his legs in splints after the fall at about 1pm.
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Other members of the public also assisted in treating the man’s injuries.
Paramedics later helped the man abseil about 50 metres to the ground, where the rescue helicopter was able to winch him to safety.
He was airlifted to Westmead Hospital, where he is in a serious but stable condition, an ambulance spokesman said.
Police are examining the man’s abseiling equipment.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/rock-climber-airlifted-to-hospital-after-cliff-fall-20130414-2htqj.html#ixzz2QU25Augc
Sounds like he might be an abseiler, not a climber, from the last sentence. Sounds like he got very lucky...
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15-Apr-2013 10:33:40 AM
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To clarify those reports, they were climbing on saccharine nightmare. The doctor that assisted was on sweet dreams and continued across to provide help at the belay ledge at the end of the traverse. The injuries were severe.
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15-Apr-2013 10:39:36 AM
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Ugh sounds nasty. Wishing the climber a speedy and uncomplicated recovery.
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15-Apr-2013 10:40:26 AM
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Not so lucky then... sorry to hear it.
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15-Apr-2013 11:49:10 AM
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I'm not going to go into great detail, but the injured person was seconding the Saccharine Nightmare finish to sweet dreams (grade 17). They had started up sweet dreams and continued up SN which is a good alt finish. He fell 25 metres to below the point they had started that pitch. He was able to activate his epirb and had a mobile phone which I could use to speak to the emergency services, and other people climbing in the area also contacted emergency services. I am not going to speculate on the belay as the police will be conducting an inquiry.
We were just starting up Whymper and and went back to the ground to retrieve the rack and emergency tape (which was the limit of my first aid kit that day) and quickly climbed to the injured person. Thankyou to the group that gave me their first aid kit, I'm afraid I used it all.
Although his injuries are serious, it could have been a lot worse, having witnessed the fall. The paramedics and rescue services did a great job extricating him just before dark.
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15-Apr-2013 11:57:52 AM
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The injured person was very lucky to have you there Vwills. Very lucky indeed.
Once the investigation has been completed I'd be interested in hearing what may have contributed to the, large, fall.
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15-Apr-2013 12:01:10 PM
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Thanks for the update Vanessa. Good work to you and everyone else involved in the rescue.
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15-Apr-2013 12:18:11 PM
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Not that I want to injure myself in a fall, but I would consider myself privileged to have vwills attend my injuries in that (almost real time) situation.☺
Thank you for doing so, and also for the update to Chockstone.
Thanks also to the others involved in the rescue, as your actions bolster my faith in humanity.
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15-Apr-2013 1:03:06 PM
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Hi Vanessa, we were the ones on the ledge on SD. Thanks for your help, it must be difficult being first on the scene and looking after the injured until they can get help, and i'm sure it makes a difference having someone with medical skills to help out. I'm glad they were able to get him out before dark to get treatment. Best wishes for his recovery.
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15-Apr-2013 1:05:46 PM
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On 15/04/2013 vwills wrote:
>He was able to activate his epirb...
Gee, who carries an epirb when they go cragging? Sounds like this guy was well prepared!
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15-Apr-2013 1:39:55 PM
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Nice work Vanessa. Good for you, & the rescue teams involved.
No point in speculating, then, but also interested in outcome once known.
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15-Apr-2013 1:51:09 PM
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On 15/04/2013 simey wrote:
>On 15/04/2013 vwills wrote:
>>He was able to activate his epirb...
>
>Gee, who carries an epirb when they go cragging?
Me. It just sits in the bottom of my pack so it gets taken everywhere.
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28-Apr-2013 10:01:03 PM
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me too, just saying.
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22-Oct-2013 4:10:21 PM
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The accident was cause of incompetence I was seconding the final pitch feeling more secure than usual as I normally lead but this time I was on a top rope. I put my trust in the wrong person and I am suffering the consequences. It's 6 months from the date of the accident and we are spending the next 12 weeks trying to save my left foot which was basically torn off in the fall. The guys name is sean kop and I would not recommend climbing with this man.
Please see link below it has the video of the fall I have cut out the view of my ankle as best I could as its not nice to look at.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/money-for-surgery--2/x/4696196#&ui-state=dialog
P.s to the lady who stayed and helped me on the day I have some of your gear if you would like it back pm me
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22-Oct-2013 4:22:17 PM
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All the best with your rehab, I hope you make a complete recovery.
Had you climbed with Sean previously? Do you know what incompetence led to your injury: incorrectly rigged belay, not paying attention...?
Best of luck,
Mike
P.S. Just watched the video. That was a freaking huge fall.
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22-Oct-2013 4:31:31 PM
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Hi Dan,
It sounds you were lucky to survive! From accounts I heard you were on the 3rd pitch of the route Saccharine Nightmare (a new route of mine established about 2 years ago and not in the print guide) rather than the Sweet Dreams direct finish.
I believe Vanessa Willis (vwills on these forums) was the lady who stayed with you.
Out of interest - what exactly went wrong? The video is so fast and wobbly I have no clear view on what happened.
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22-Oct-2013 4:53:26 PM
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Jaysus. That's a hell of a cautionary tale. Like the above comments, I'd love to know what exactly went wrong.
You clearly blame Sean, but don't provide much detail. Sounds like he didn't have control of the rope at all, not even threaded? Have you spoken to him about it?
Bloody well done to the rescuers, what an effort - getting through that squeeze must have been a nightmare (pardon the pun)
Best of luck & recovery.
You might want to change your profile name if you hope to raise 10 grand... and perhaps modify the footage - it looks like a weird techno video... if I didn't know exactly what I was looking at, I'd think a dog had stolen your gopro.
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23-Oct-2013 11:08:09 PM
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this is now featured on ninemsm web page with the video . It says he was abseiling so probably not sourced from here . hope he gets the $10 k
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