In brief
Rescue teams undertook a complex 20-hour operation to save a man whose leg was trapped in a rock crevice in the Franklin River.
A tourist's kayaking adventure in Tasmania turned tragic when he became ensnared between rocks in a swift river, leading to the amputation of his leg. The man, in his 60s, was exploring the area when he slipped and fell into a perilous rock crevice on Friday afternoon. The emergency services, alerted by the man’s smartwatch, arrived to find him partially submerged in water under treacherous conditions.Rescuers made several attempts to extricate him overnight, but as his situation worsened, they opted for amputation as a last resort to save his life. This decision, made in consultation with the tourist, was characterized by authorities as a "life or death" situation. Doug Oosterloo, acting assistant commissioner at Tasmania Police, praised the extraordinary efforts of the rescue teams, highlighting the technical challenges they faced during the operation.The kayaking group, which included 10 other travelers, had temporarily halted their activities when the incident occurred. Oosterloo confirmed that the man was prepared for the kayaking experience but was unprepared for the prolonged exposure to freezing water temperatures while trapped. Following the rescue, the other kayakers were airlifted from the area as police began investigating the circumstances of this unfortunate accident. The injured man remains in critical condition at the hospital while officials gather more information from his companions.
