Two days after his seven-meter fall in the Jack Daniel's cave in Salzburg's Tennengebirge mountain range, Marek G. was recovered by a team of up to 70 rescuers working through the night. This was announced by the head of the mountain rescue team, Wilfried Seidl, around 3 a.m. on Saturday morning. The Pole was then immediately transported by helicopter to a hospital.
"The patient was recovered from the cave and is ready for evacuation by helicopter," said Seidl. He was "stable and well looked after."
A team of paramedics and a specialist cave rescue doctor were with the victim.
Photo: APA (Neumayr/MMV)
The Pole went with five compatriots into the near-vertical cave for research purposes. In the fall he suffered leg and chest injuries and a concussion. The accident occurred on Thursday morning at about 2.00 p.m.
According to the spokesperson of the Salzburg mountain rescue team, Marie Riedler, the explorer was recovered on Saturday at around 2:18 a.m. from the Jack Daniel's cave. The rescue had been delayed near the end because the rescue team had to make complex technical alterations to a pulley, Riedler told the Austrian Press Agency.
The rescue authorities had requested a suitable army helicopter for night flight, with the pilot and co-pilot using night vision goggles.
In the cave entrance a 35-square-metre heated and backlit medical tent had been set up with medical equipment for emergency response, if a helicopter flight would not have been possible due to adverse weather conditions.
On Friday afternoon, the injured man had been still at approximately a depth of 160 meters.
The injured man is now resting comfortably in hospital, and receiving all necessary treatment.
Photo: APA (Neumayr/MMV)
