A woman was stuck hanging upside down in a crevice between rocks for seven hours after trying to retrieve a phone that had fallen into her hands. – My first thought was: how are we going to get her out of there? – admitted one of the rescuers participating in the operation.
The incident was described on Monday on social media by NSW Ambulance, the medical service of the Australian state of NSW Wales. It was reported that rescuers helped a woman who fell into a crevasse in the Hunter Valley on October 12 and got stuck between two rocks while trying to save her phone.
Rescue operation in Australia
The 23-year-old woman was on a walk with friends in the town of Laguna on a private property that is difficult to access. At one point, her phone fell out of her hand, so she wanted to try to get it back. However, she slipped and fell headfirst into a three-meter-deep crack between two large rocks. Her friends were unable to help her, they called the services.
A special group of rescuers arrived at the scene. After quickly assessing the situation, they concluded that the only way to get the woman out was vertically, which meant moving heavy boulders away. Over the next hours, rescuers, policemen, firefighters and members of other services used specialized equipment to move them away, fearing that “if anything moves in the wrong direction, it will fall on the woman,” Peter Watts, a rescuer participating in the rescue, explained in an interview with CNN shares. One of the boulders they moved weighed about 500 kg.
NSW Ambulance posted photos from the rescue on social media. In one of them, only the 23-year-old's bare feet can be seen between boulders placed only 10 cm apart. – My first thought was: how are we going to get her out of there? I've never seen anything like this, Watts admitted.
Seven hours in the slot
Ultimately, the woman was freed after seven hours. Watts noted that the 23-year-old “was calm the entire time” and “didn't panic at all.” After she reached the surface, she “was tired and a little dizzy.” – All the blood flowed to her head, she couldn't stand or walk – he added. In the end, however, nothing serious happened to her, she only had minor scratches and bruises. She was taken to hospital for observation.
– In my 10 years of work as a paramedic, I have never faced such a task. It was a challenge, but incredibly satisfying, Watts emphasized. However, the 23-year-old's phone remained deep in the crack.
Main photo source: Facebook/NSW Ambulance