International tourist has leg amputated in 20-hour rescue ordeal

An international visitor is fighting for life after having his leg amputated in an incredible rescue operation that lasted more than 20 hours while he was stuck partly underwater in a remote Tasmanian river.

The man in his 60s was kayaking with a group through a rapids section of the Franklin River about 2.30pm on Friday when his leg got stuck between rocks, Tasmanian police said yesterday afternoon.

His smartwatch triggered a call for help about an hour later and a wide range of emergency services rushed to the area to perform what turned out to be a “complex and protracted rescue”.

They tried to get him out several times throughout the evening and overnight but it wasn’t until yesterday morning as his condition worsened that he and rescuers made the heartbreaking decision to cut off his leg.

Yesterday afternoon, police said the amputation was successful and the man, who’d been “partly submerged” in the river as rescuers tried to free him, was winched out and airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a critical condition.

Tasmania Police acting Assistant Commissioner Doug Oosterloo praised the “professionalism and commitment” of everyone who helped, which included surf life savers, State Emergency Service volunteers, firefighters and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

“This rescue was an extremely challenging and technical operation, and an incredible effort over many hours to save the man’s life,” Oosterloo said.

“Every effort was made to extract the man before the difficult decision to amputate his leg.”

Police described the man as an “international visitor” and said they were working to contact his family.

The Garmin InReach watch the man was wearing has satellite communications to work beyond the reach of mobile networks. 

Police didn’t say where on the Franklin River the man was found but the Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, near the state’s west coast, is popular for kayaking.

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