Mountain Clients

On the afternoon of Thu, 6 March, 2003, a helicopter rescue took place high on the right flank of Sierra Toix West at Calpe, Spain. A climber, part of a ‘services climbing course’ received head injuries from falling rock(s) (it is not known if he was wearing a helmet and certainly no helmet was visible on the injured man whilst he was strapped helplessly, to the rescue strecher) and a rescue team was called.

After two approaches, the helicoper finally hovered some twenty five feet above the group (six or seven people) of rescuers and the injured climber and the strecher were clipped to a cable that had been lowered. Suddenly, a large, loose sheet of thin plastic (thermal blanket) rose into the air on the updraft and was sucked into the helicopter rotors with a bang. Fortunately, one rescuer had the presence of mind to unclip the strecher as the helicopter staggered away with an obvious problem. The group as a whole, in such a confined space,  were very fortunate that the helicopter did not crash onto them causing a catastrophic disaster.

Fortunately, the helicopter landed without incident some 1,000 feet lower on an empty road. Shortly aftrewards as the ground rescuers prepared to lower the injured climber, the helicopter restarted and effected a perfect rescue.  Two hours prior to the accident, members of the same group had to callout to climbers beneath them regarding falling rocks that they had knocked down. The wearing of helmets should be mandatory when climbing, and if involved in a helicopter rescue, it is essential that all loose objects are held down or packed away. A similar account of this rescue was printed (sent in by Dennis M) in the Costa Blanca News on the 19 March, 2003.