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Student Survives 100ft Mountain Fall

Feb 15 2010 13:30

Lawrence Weetman

An Imperial student has survived a 100ft drop whilst Ice Climbing in Snowdonia with Imperial College Mountaineering Club.

Mountaineering Club have visited Snowdon on previous occassions.

An unnamed student from Imperial College London was airlifted to hospital on Saturday after a 100-foot fall down Cwm Cneifion, wilst ice-climbing with Imperial College Union's Mountaineering Club at the weekend.

The student survived the fall from the chunk of ice known as "Tower Slabs" with just cuts, bruises and a broken arm and was released from Bangor Hospital yesterday afternoon.

The Sea King helicopter airlifted the student to hospital.

As the incident unfolded at about 2pm, the RAF Sea King rescue helicopter was already in the area assisting another climber who broke his leg in a 30-foot fall just 15 minutes earlier.

The helicopter resuce team decided to airlift the Imperial student to hospital first and returned to transport the man with the broken leg immediately afterwards.

Chris Lloyd of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation told WalesOnline that the Imperial student "was climbing on steep but not vertical ground" and that "he was lucky not to get worse injuries".

The incident was witnessed by two climbers who are a part of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation. The pair, who were climbing the nearby Tower Gulley at the time, administered first aid to the student.

It has been reported that whilst the Imperial group were "well equipped", the climbers from Cumbria had set off without the appropriate equipment, or even footwear, needed to deal with the icy paths.

“It has been reported that the student experienced a 100ft drop whilst ice climbing, but safety equipment successfully arrested his fall. The student was an experienced climber and the group were climbing on an easy route.”

Ashley Brown, ICU President

Speaking of the Imperial College Mountaineering Club incident, Mr Lloyd said that it was a "bad luck" incident rather than a lack of experience or preparation.

Speaking to Live!, ICU President Ashley Brown said: "On Saturday one of our students was airlifted to hospital following a climbing accident during a trip with ICU's Mountaineering club. It has been reported that the student experienced a 100ft drop whilst ice climbing, but safety equipment successfully arrested his fall. The student was an experienced climber and the group were climbing on an easy route".

Mr Brown said that ICU has been in touch with the club and is "rendering assistance as necessary".

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Discussion about “Student Survives 100ft Mountain Fall”

The comments below are unmoderated submissions by Live! readers. The Editor accepts no liability for their content, nor for any offence caused by them. Any complaints should be directed to the Editor.

1. Editor

Feb 15 2010 14:47

If you know who the student involved in the fall is, feel free to get in touch with us via live@imperial.ac.uk or, even easier, via our entirely anonymous tip-off form.

2. jeeeeeez

Feb 16 2010 14:02

Perhaps they'd like to REMAIN anonymous. The climbing clubs are being hounded by the press as it is.

He didn't break his arm, check your facts.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=394877

3. Editor

Feb 16 2010 14:14

I'd like to get in touch with the student to confirm the details. At the moment the article relies on reports from mountain rescue, who were only involved in the very first instance.

4. lol

Feb 16 2010 14:27

gravity WIN

5. @4

Feb 16 2010 16:39

That really made me LOL!

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