New Zealand caver hurt in fall

[Wayne Harrison]

A Christchurch caver was flown to Nelson Hospital after injuring his back in a fall inside Harwoods Hole, near Takaka.

St John Ambulance acting team manager Blair Andrews said an experienced group of cavers had gone into the cave on Takaka Hill and were on their way out when the accident happened on Friday night.

A 37-year-old man fell about 5m and landed on his back. Andrews said the group was about 200m from the cave's entrance but was able to help the injured man to the surface.

Summit Rescue Helicopter pilot Duncan Gourley said the helicopter was able to hover above rocks about 100m from Harwoods Hole to collect the man, before flying him to hospital.

Full story

[Scott McCrea]

"NZ caver" ≠ NZcaver.

[Squirrel Girl]

Is it just me, or does there seem to be an inordinate number of accident reports coming out of New Zealand?

[NZcaver]

"NZ caver" ≠ NZcaver.

Indeed. Thanks for clarifying, Scott!

[NZcaver]

Is it just me, or does there seem to be an inordinate number of accident reports coming out of New Zealand?

Hmmm, well, I guess that depends on what you define as "inordinate."

This is the first one I've heard of this year! Last year there was that huge multi-day rescue of Dr Brewer in Takaka, and the school kids in Waipu Caves. Were there any others? By comparison, there were enough incidents in the US to fill an entire publication. It's called the ACA.

A few years ago, there was a record number (I think) of incidents at this same location (Harwood's Hole) in one year. Three incidents. No fatalities. This isn't a competition but it also occured to me there's probably one or two caves around the US which have seen more than 3 incidents in one year.

I found this part of the news article interesting:

Andrews said the group was about 200m from the cave's entrance but was able to help the injured man to the surface.

Harwood's is an open-air pit with a 170m (560ft) entrance drop, and a cave at the bottom. I wonder if this means his group managed to somehow haul him out of the pit themselves (which would be a fairly impressive feat), or if the media misreported and he fell somewhere in the big jumble of rocks near the pit?

[Tubo Longo]

Jansen, guess you missed this even more interesting part of the article:

Summit Rescue Helicopter pilot Duncan Gourley said the group had not needed to use ropes or abseiling equipment to help the injured man out of the cave.

Really wonder if the guy was IN the cave and not, as you suggest, outside and nearby..

[NZcaver]

Jansen, guess you missed this even more interesting part of the article...

Hi Renato. Season's greetings to you and your wife.

Ah yes. I read that part, but forgot to quote it in my post. It's possible they could be referring to the other exit of the cave, but that's a fair distance from Harwood's Hole. The cave itself is Starlight, so I would think any rescue from that end would be unlikely to result in a helicopter evac "100m from Harwood's Hole." Of course the media never confuse their facts, do they? Perhaps a clarified report will be forthcoming at some point.

[Tubo Longo]

Hi Jansen, a Very Happy 2008 to you and your wife too.

Been surfing around and got to see a pic of the Hole: do you think it may be possible the chopper lifted up the injured caver directly out of the cave?
mean, 170m of cable aren't really standard on any chopper. But still it may be possible to have the chopper hovering above the pit and lifting out somebody. After all Harwood's Hole is quite large too, right? Enough for such airlift anyway... or no?? See the pic:

http://lh3.google.com/alexghoth/Rf_XngW ... imgmax=512

[NZcaver]

Been surfing around and got to see a pic of the Hole: do you think it may be possible the chopper lifted up the injured caver directly out of the cave?
mean, 170m of cable aren't really standard on any chopper. But still it may be possible to have the chopper hovering above the pit and lifting out somebody. After all Harwood's Hole is quite large too, right? Enough for such airlift anyway... or no?? See the pic:

http://lh3.google.com/alexghoth/Rf_XngW ... imgmax=512

It's an impressive hole, alright. I made the half-hour hike out to it about 10 years ago. I even managed to persuade the wife (before we were married) to come along. No vertical gear with me, though - I'm still waiting for that opportunity.

If my memory is correct, the entrance is in a small valley littered with big rocks. I highly doubt any helicopter crew would risk hovering over the hole trying to winch somebody out. Anything is possible I guess, but it seems very unlikely.

[NZcaver]

OK, now this is really weird.

I just noticed Harwood's Hole in the news yet again! Another rescue at the same location, just days after the last one?? I may have to eat my words, and agree with Squirrel Girl's use of that "inordinate number" comment earlier.

More details in this thread.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Been surfing around and got to see a pic of the Hole: do you think it may be possible the chopper lifted up the injured caver directly out of the cave?
mean, 170m of cable aren't really standard on any chopper. But still it may be possible to have the chopper hovering above the pit and lifting out somebody. After all Harwood's Hole is quite large too, right? Enough for such airlift anyway... or no??

I'm certainly not at all sure but I remember hearing something about chopper pilots not liking flying close to cliffs not least because rotors and rock don't mix but also because I think the cliff upsets the airflow and causes weird air currents that can make hovering tricky. I'm guessing but Harwoods hole might have some wierd (for chopper pilots) thermal air currents coming up from the cave which might make it trickier again