Rock Climbers Fall, Blue Mountains

[Overlandman]

From ABC News
Two rock climbers have been flown to hospital after falling up to 30 metres in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
A woman in her 20s and a 32-year-old man fell from Mount Piddington, near Mount Victoria, around 1pm (AEDT).
The woman was taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition with numerous injuries, while her climbing partner was in a serious but stable condition with a suspected broken ankle.
The ambulance service sent two rescue helicopters and specialty casualty paramedics after a witness to the fall called triple-0.
A police rescue crew also helped with the operation.

[FatCanyoner]

It will be interesting to hear more on this one. Not often you have more than one person take a fall!

It seems not even those in the climbing community have much of an idea yet. There's a thread on Chockstone for those interested in checking in for any updates: http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.a ... =9#NewPost

[FatCanyoner]

Okay, some specific info starting to appear on Chockstone.
Positive info from someone who knows one of the climbers involved. Broken bones but nothing life threatening, although one still considered critical.
Cause of the accident seems to be a belay failure on a ledge on the second pitch of a climb after a hold blew out, causing both climber and belayer to fall to the base of the cliff.
Both of them sound *&%$#! lucky to have survived!

[FatCanyoner]

NSW Police put out the following statement in the early hours of this morning re the accident and rescue:

Two rock climbers seriously injured after cliff fall - near Mt Victoria
Thursday, 03 January 2013 02:22:43 AM
Two rock climbers had to be rescued after suffering numerous broken bones during a fall near Mt Victoria in the Blue Mountains yesterday.
About 1pm, Wednesday 2 January 2013, a 31-year-old woman and 32-year-old man were scaling a 35 metre cliff at Hornes Point on Mt Piddington when the man slipped off the cliff.
He fell 18 metres to the base of the cliff and sustained a compound fracture to his ankle and a fractured leg.
During the incident the woman was pulled from her position and fell 12 metres to the ground where she sustained numerous fractures; head and internal injuries.
A number of other climbers came to their aid before emergency services were contacted.
Officers from the Police Rescue Squad and the Ambulance Rescue Helicopter attended the scene with doctors and paramedics being winched in to treat the injured pair.
They were airlifted to Westmead Hospital where the woman is believed to be in a critical condition while the man is in a stable condition and undergoing surgery.
A crime scene was established at the cliff and examined by specialist forensic officers.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are continuing with police waiting to speak to the injured climbers.

The crime scene stuff seems really odd, although I think that might be standard practice where there is the chance someone might die, just in case there is an inquest.

[ferozious]

WOW!

They guy fell 18 meters and ONLY suffered some bone injuries in his leg. He is very lucky!

[v0iTek]

wow we were heading through Katoomba on the way back to Sydney when we saw all these emergency services going past.