In brief
In a dramatic rescue effort that lasted nearly 20 hours, a kayaker in his 60s, visiting from abroad, had his leg amputated while trapped between rocks on Tasmania's Franklin River. Authorities reported that emergency services responded swiftly after receiving a distress signal via the tourist's smartwatch at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Unfortunately, rescue attempts that night proved unsuccessful, and the man was left partially underwater until the morning, facing deteriorating health.
Despite efforts from the medical team on-site, attempts to extract the man during the following morning were met with failure. After extensive consultations with the trapped kayaker, rescuers made the difficult decision to amputate his leg using specialized equipment at the scene. He was subsequently transported to a Hobart hospital, where he remains in critical condition. Doug Oosterloo, acting assistant commissioner of Tasmania Police, emphasized the complexities involved in the operation and expressed that every possible measure was taken to save the man's life. Authorities are currently working to reach the victim's family.
