Cowichan man in hospital after fall from rock face

CHEK
WatchA Cowichan man is safe after a challenging rescue that lasted for several hours. He fell down a 12-metre rock face sustaining serious injuries.

For close to four hours Sunday, several dozen Cowichan Search and Rescue technicians and paramedics were involved in pulling a man to safety.

It started when a man who was walking his dog near the Cowichan River, was stung and fell over a 12-meter rock face.

He sustained serious injuries to his ankle and head.

Those staying at the provincial campground across the river heard the man’s cries, swam across the river, slowed the bleeding and called 911.

Cowichan Search and Rescue volunteers were at their hall holding a practice when they got the call around 11:30 Sunday morning. They were able to quickly respond.

Cowichan Search manager Tina Phillips said it took a while to determine where the man fell and how best to get him to safety.

“They packaged the gentleman. They ferried him in a basket stretcher upriver along the shoreline and then… safely walked him across and transported him by ATV on a stretcher to an ambulance and then transferred to B.C. air ambulance,” said Phillips.

He was airlifted to a Victoria hospital.

Phillips says, fortunately, the man fell in a location where his calls for help could be heard from the nearby campground which isn’t the case along many sections of the trail the man was walking.

Kendall Hanson

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