Emergency services were alerted when the man's smartwatch sent out a distress signal. As he remained partially submerged and his health continued to deteriorate, rescuers made the difficult choice to amputate his leg after several attempts to extricate him failed. For nearly 20 hours, the operation was fraught with tension as rescuers worked against time to save his life.
“It was a true life-or-death situation,” commented Doug Oosterloo, acting assistant commissioner of Tasmania Police. The tourist, initially in stable condition before the fall, is now in a critical state in the hospital. Oosterloo noted the kayak group, which consisted of 10 other travelers, had stopped to rest on the shore when the accident happened—elaborating that the man slipped while exploring the area. Meanwhile, rescue teams are currently in the process of debriefing the other kayakers to ascertain more details about the unfortunate incident.
“It was a true life-or-death situation,” commented Doug Oosterloo, acting assistant commissioner of Tasmania Police. The tourist, initially in stable condition before the fall, is now in a critical state in the hospital. Oosterloo noted the kayak group, which consisted of 10 other travelers, had stopped to rest on the shore when the accident happened—elaborating that the man slipped while exploring the area. Meanwhile, rescue teams are currently in the process of debriefing the other kayakers to ascertain more details about the unfortunate incident.
