|
An Irish tourist somehow survived falling 200 meters into an Indonesian volcano with only minor injuries.
Paul Farrel, 31, from Sligo, was walking alone up Mount Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara on Wednesday when he slipped and fell.
He reportedly rolled down the steep trail and “fell off a cliff” but miraculously suffered only minor injuries to his shoulder, local media said. reports.
A rescue team finally found him in the shadow of a small outcropping with some deep cuts on his face, legs and arms.
After calmly smoking a cigarette and thanking his rescuers, the hiker promised to be careful and not stray too far from his hotel.
Paul was very grateful to his rescuers, who assessed that he had only suffered minor injuries.
A rescue team finally found him in the shadow of a small outcrop with some deep cuts.
Paul was hoisted to safety using a pulley after being found on Wednesday morning
General view of sunrise at Mount Rinjani in Indonesia
Paul called a local resort for help after his fall, which notified police Wednesday morning.
A rescue team was present, already evacuating the body of a man who fell into a nearby ravine, according to Kompas.
They reported some difficulty communicating with Paul, hidden in a remote location with little signal.
But the Irish tourist was lucky to be found with few injuries from a big fall.
Paul calmly lit a cigarette, relieved that the search team had found him.
He said to them, 'Thank you very much. You guys saved my life. I would never have made it back without you.
'I'm going to stay safe after this and not go too far from my hotel.'
The images show volunteers pulling it to safety using a pulley.
He gave his rescuers a big hug as he was pulled back to higher ground.
Iptu Nikolas Osma, head of East Lombok Police Public Relations, said: “The victim allegedly slipped because the area is sandy.
“The joint search and rescue team managed to evacuate him.
“Based on the results of the medical team’s examination, he only suffered minor injuries to his shoulder.
'His general condition is currently healthy.'
Paul was taken to Pelawangan Emergency Shelter for further observation.
Search and rescue teams look at the spot where Paul landed after falling into the volcano
Rescuers were evacuating a nearby body when Paul called for help Wednesday morning.
Rescue efforts were hampered by poor reception from the side of the active volcano
Authorities said the spot where he fell was close to where the body of a missing Indonesian teenager, 16-year-old Kaifat Rafi Mubarraq, was found.
The young man was reported missing on September 29, after leaving for the summit of Mount Rinjani. A drone found his body lying in a ravine on October 8.
Mount Rinjani is an active volcano located on the island of Lombok, Indonesia. It is the second highest volcano in the country at 12,224 feet.
Hikers often traverse the mountain's dangerous terrain to see the stunning crater lake, Segara Anak, nearby.
Tours guided by professional hikers usually cost up to US$200.
