Two climbers spent an unexpected night in the Warrumbungles after running into difficulties while climbing on Saturday, May 9. After sustaining injuries, they were found by rescuers and evacuated early Sunday morning.
A multi-agency operation was launched on Saturday, May 9, after an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) was activated at Crater Bluff in the Warrumbungle National Park, at around 1pm.
The men were 150m up Cornerstone Rib when one was hit in the head by a falling rock.
The 61-year-old man suffered cuts and a suspected concussion.
He and his climbing partner managed to reach a ledge and activated their EPIRB.
Officers from Police Rescue and two Critical Care Paramedics were winched to the top of the Bluff by the PolAir helicopter, with both climbers brought to the top of the Bluff and treated.
Climbers and rescuers remained on the peak overnight before being winched out about 8am on Sunday, May 10, by the TOLL helicopter crew.
The injured climber was taken to Coonabarabran Hospital for treatment for minor injuries.
It’s understood the climbers are from Victoria.
Second incident this month
This incident comes just a week after another climber was injured in the Park, and a group of Duke of Edinburgh students from Presbyterian Ladies’ College (PLC) in Armidale came upon him and assisted the man to safety.
The local climber, Thomas Wendland, from Dubbo, had broken his leg after a fall, and the group of girls interrupted their trip to help the man. They used tarp poles and a hammock to construct a stretcher and hiked for two hours to bring him to a safe point where emergency services could take over.