04/05/2024

Novice climber who had limited experience abseiling set themselves up to abseil using a edelrid gigajul in assisted mode. They had been abseiling in manual mode with a prussic previously untill another club member showed them how to use assisted mode. They did not setup the device correctly and did not get anyone to check their abseil setup. They lowered themselves over the edge and the rope slipped through the device. They fell most of the height of the crag ~10m onto their back landing in V shaped groove at the bottom. The climber quickly got up and appeared uninjured to everyone's surprised. They had severe burns from trying to hold the rope but no other significant injuries. I setup a system to haul the casualty up the crag as it was the quickest escape option. The casualtie was driven to hospital for treatment of the burns.

15/08/2015

Abseil in

Dreamboat Annie is a relatively small sea cliff about 12m tall which requires abseiling into for access. My partner and I arrived at the crag to find a group with an abseil line in place. They allowed us to use their rope and so we abseiled down, but noted that the line could not be weight tested until we had climbed over the edge. We thought this was not great and triple checked our systems before going over. Another group turned up and again used the same line. However, one guy was so busy chatting that he did not double check nor weight test his set-up before climbing over and leaning back. He fell to the ground (nearly on top of me) because he had forgotten to attach his belay device but very fortunately he had attached his prusik knot. His prusik and burning his hands slowed his fall and he ended up in a gully, which is probably what saved him from broken bones or spinal damage. Shortly after he nearly passed out. He could not climb out due to his badly hurt hands so someone called the Coastguard who took him to hospital. We happened to pass them the next day on a walk and know that it was only damage to his hands that he suffered from the chance second encounter.