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Activity
Trad rock climbing
When
Ascending
Injury
Serious injury requiring medical treatment
Incident
The climber (an experienced leader) was attempting The Toy (graded E1 but really E2, length 7 m). He had two runners at one-third height, and then a wire at half height. He rested on the half-height runner, then continued. With his feet roughly level with the runner he fell. That runner ripped (and the two lower runners were then too low; the belayer was not at fault). Though short in distance, the fall had a high fall-factor; the wire had clear gouge marks afterwards. Unfortunately, the jerk as the runner ripped tilted him backward. Thus he landed largely on his bum/back, with his head then hitting a boulder quite hard, causing him to lose consciousness. He was wearing a helmet. The rescue teams arrived promptly, and he was stretchered to the crag top and helicoptered to hospital.
Lessons
Have more than once piece of gear between yourself and the deck; be wary of high-fall-factor falls even when they're short and near the ground.
Causes
Slip, trip or fall
Anonymous?
No
Reported By
Observer
Wearing Helmets?
Yes
Rescue Services Involved?
Edale MRT, Buxton MRT, Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (incident 116 on Edale MRT Facebook page)
Author
Coel Hellier
5 October 2020 at 06:04:55
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