Paddler on Franklin River Has Leg Amputated After Becoming Stuck Between Rocks for 20 Hours

 

A 65-year-old Lithuanian man is in a critical condition after becoming trapped in Tasmania’s Franklin River during a multi-day packrafting expedition.

 

Police reported that the man’s leg became trapped between rocks while he was exploring the area on foot along the banks of the Franklin River. 

He was on an international packrafting trip with a group of fellow Lithuanians in Tasmania’s South West and Australia was the last destination on their adventure tour to five countries. The group was well prepared and experienced in packrafting.

An Impossibly Difficult Rescue

When the man became stuck, he called for help using a GPS device, however was trapped and partially submerged in the river for about 20 hours. As his condition started to deteriorate and hypothermia began to set in, after multiple other rescue options were exhausted, the difficult decision was made to amputate his leg. 

‘This rescue was an extremely challenging and technical operation, and an incredible effort over many hours to save the man’s life’, said Acting Assistant Commissioner of Tasmania Police, Doug Oosterloo. ‘Every effort was made to extract the man before the difficult decision to amputate his leg.’

The rescue team consisted of around 30 staff from Tasmania Police, State Emergency Service, Tasmanian Fire Service, Ambulance Tasmania, and Surf Life Saving Tasmania. They took several different approaches to try to free him from the rocks, including using specialist equipment such as a wilderness rescue tripod (called an ‘Arizona Vortex’) to manoeuvre him, a series of ropes and pulleys to attempt to lift him out, and even hydraulic equipment to try to move the rocks. 

Surf Life Saving Tasmania swift water rescue technician, Ace Petrie, reported that it was one of the most difficult rescues he’d experienced, with water flowing down the river at a rate of approximately 13 tonnes per second. Mr Petrie also reported that the fact that the man was wearing a life jacket likely saved him from being sucked down into the rock.

One of the key priorities in the rescue was keeping the man warm to protect him from hypothermia during the team’s efforts and providing him with food and water. ABC News reported that an additional challenge was communication, as the man spoke little English. The emergency services team was able to translate key information from English to Lithuanian through a member of his travel group, who was a Lithuanian doctor. 

The man’s family has been contacted, and he remains in a critical condition in Royal Hobart Hospital. 

Photos supplied by Tasmania Police