Caving Rescue Underway

[L Roebuck]

LATEST: Caving rescue underway
The Nelson Mail

Cavers from around the country were due to be flown to Takaka Hill Wednesday afternoon, with Nelson Search and Rescue launching an operation to rescue a seriously injured person from Harwoods Hole.

Senior Sergeant Grant Andrews of Motueka police said police received a 111 call just before 1pm Wednesday, saying that one person was at the bottom of the hole and seriously injured.

Search and Rescue staff were trying to get communication lines set up between the Motueka search and rescue base and Harwoods Hole Wednesday afternoon.

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[Colin NZ]

yep they silly season's is truly here and a trip to Harwood hole was on the thing to do on a sunny wed.

Here's the update so far we have on female on rope at rebelay (30 m down from takeoff ledge)and on way up with assistance.

One caver has got to other caver on rope 40m from the deck and perched on ledge, is uninjured. Rescues team working out how to bring him up hole. Third caver at bottom in voice contact and ok.

There were 4 other cavers in Starlight and are now at car park unhurt.

This should be over soon.

Appears they are a group of climbers who decided to 'do Harwoods' - as you do - from overseas met at Hangdog (rock climbers camp site) and went off for trip. sounds pretty standard stuff. They do have good ropes (which in the past has not been the case).

[L Roebuck]

Thanks for the update Colin NZ.

An online newpaper article I read this morning mentioned one of the ones rescued was Tina Bark, a U.S. Caver or (rock climber). Also mentioned were Leon Davis of Canada and Ben Jones of Wales. The online article wasn't clear, if any of the group suffered any serious injuries?

[madratdan]

Thanks for the added info, Colin. Sounds like those rock climbers forgot they were going rope climbing........not rock climbing!!! Two very different sports with the same mindset. Going up and down. Two totally different techniques. Funny how rebelays and rock climbers have a hard time mixing.

[Colin NZ]

5 climbers made it down
4 made it through the cave and out the bottom entrance (starlight)

1 was wating at the bottom of the rope (on the ground) for the other 3

2 climbers got stuck on the rope.

1 was still at the top and went to raise the alarm

A Caver sent down to the bottom person on the rope and came back up with him
While this was happening they extracted the top person (Tina I believe)

They sent 2 cavers down to the person on the ground and escorted him thru the cave and out the bottom entrance

All done by about 2am I believe

[Colin NZ]

No injuries - info started off with somone at the bottom with serious injuries, then was someone on the rope with injuries, and turned out to just be a couple of people stuck on the rope

[L Roebuck]

I really wish the media would not refer to these inexperienced folks as cavers (that's misleading). It would be good if they referred to them as would-be cavers or something along those lines.

Do you happen to know what type of rope these guys were using???

It appears the The Department of Conservation does not plan to restrict access to the cave!!

w00t!!

[Colin NZ]

I do not know what sort of rope it was. There was a picture of it in "The Press". White with red fleck. I do not know how static it is.
Everytime there is a rescue in Harwoods restricting access/permit system comes up.