Shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday, the Swiss police were informed that an accident had occurred in a cave not far from the border with Vorarlberg in the municipality of Wildhaus (Canton of St. Gallen). A speleologist was hit by a rock at a depth of about 50 meters and was unable to climb to the surface under his own power. A very complex and lengthy rescue operation was launched in which a helper was hit by a rock.
Three experienced speleologists climbed into a cave on Monday morning at about 2,000 meters above sea level. This is located west of the “Zwinglipashütte”, below the “Altmann”. Shortly after noon, a rock broke loose and struck a 40-year-old man in the hip area. The injury proved so severe that he was unable to surface on his own.
While one of his colleagues stayed with him at a depth of about 50 meters, another researcher alerted the Swiss air rescue service “Rega”. Rescue workers and equipment were then flown up the mountain in several helicopter flights. The salvage work proved extremely difficult due to the limited space available.
In order to save the 40-year-old, stone material had to be blasted away first. After two days and nights, the injured person was rescued on a special stretcher late Wednesday night by the cave rescuers of the Speleo-Secours (Swiss cave rescue service).
A rescue worker involved in the rescue was also hit by a rock on Wednesday afternoon. He, too, could no longer leave the cave alone. Rega then flew both injured to the hospital. About 30 specialists from Speleo-Secours Schweiz and several helicopters were involved in the rescue operation.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
