On the 19th November 2011 NWCRO responded to a call-out for a caver (male, 50s) at 11.15am who had fallen approximately 20ft in a rift about 200ft below ground in the Great Orme Copper Mine in Llandudno. The casualty had sustained a suspected broken ankle and was beyond 2 short ladder pitches, a hand and knees crawl and a tight section. Following a full team call-out 24 team members attended what was the first underground incident in North Wales involving NWCRO in a casualty evacuation for a number of years. Following administration of painkillers and application of an ankle splint the casualty was able to effectively self-rescue with team assistance and hauling on the pitches. The casualty reached the surface at ~15.05 pm, almost 5 hours after the incident, and was transported by ambulance to hospital.
The casualty was later confirmed as having a broken heel and endured a 4 hour operation.
A big thanks to all NWCRO team members who attended, the others who were present and helped with sandwiches and hot drinks, to those who offered help but were no longer required, and to those who have helped with operations behind the scenes over the past few years that enabled a successful evacuation.
