27/07/2024

Climber pulled off a torso size block between the 8th and 9th bolt, the rock felt ok until it wasnt. The climber fell immediately, quickly followed by the block with grazed their arm on the way down but misses the rope. The climber shouted "Rock" multiple times immediately and looked round during the fall and saw the block's trajection being alarmingly close to both their belayer and the adjacent belayer but miss them by a couple of metres hitting the bushes on the steep ground behind them; both belayers braced/ curled up quickly and held the rope for climber's fall superbly. The climber, belayer and also the adjacent pair all checked in with each other to make sure we were ok and what to do next. Other climbers at nearby sectors also called out to check we were ok. The climber double checked the surrounding rock to make sure what's left are sound and was initially happy to carry on but the route was slightly harder without the block and not in the right head space to push hard; stick clipped carefully the rest of the way up to retreat. Knocked and checked a few other spots carefully during the lower off to make sure no other rock was prone to detach soon. The crag and belay spot is on a narrow path which meant it was impossible for anyone to be resting or hanging out where the block landed. The climbers were somewhat familiar with the crag, certainly hazard aware as a habit and during the day of the incident; whether that's objective danger or factors contributing to human errors. Near miss, no major physical injury, some mental injury. Lucky day