A Lithuanian man with five decades of rafting experience became trapped on the Franklin River when he slipped on rocks and his leg became wedged underwater.

SLST attended the scene along with Police, Ambulance, the SES, and Tasmanian Fire Service, all bringing their skill set to assist in the extraction.

Partially submerged throughout the ordeal, after 20 hours of constant efforts to free him, the difficult decision was made to amputate the trapped leg due to the patient’s deteriorating condition, and airlift him to Royal Hobart Hospital.

SLST’s swiftwater rescue team worked methodically through a series of advanced techniques in their efforts to free the patient.  One of the most critical aspects of the operation involved maintaining support for the patient during the prolonged rescue effort. The swiftwater rescue technicians took turns staying in the water alongside the trapped man, keeping the patient as calm and stable as possible.

“The patient’s condition was challenging, as he was experiencing hypothermia despite the efforts of his rafting crew and rescuers to keep him warm and fed,” said SLST swift water rescue technician Adrian Petrie.

The rescue also demonstrated the importance of collaboration between the various emergency services on-site. SLST’s swiftwater rescue team worked seamlessly with police and paramedics, leveraging their combined expertise to navigate the unique complexities of the situation.

“Everyone on-site brought something to the table, and by working together, we were able to explore every possible option to free the patient,” said Petrie.

“We were just lucky the weather was very kind to us and the water level wasn’t rising, which would have changed the complexity. The water temp was surprising, it wasn’t as cold as it certainly can be, especially in the winter.

“At the time when he went in, it was roughly around his chest height. As the hours went on, the water level was dropping slightly but not as fast as we would have liked.”

Petrie praised the man and his rafting group for their efforts during the challenging rescue.

“His rafting crew had done a great job in securing him as best they could,” he said. “He was sort of wedged, I would describe it like an hourglass, he had his knee trapped in the rocks in a deep section of that rapid.

“There were a number of hazards we had to deal with and work around to gain access to the patient and make a further assessment of his entrapment.”

SLST CEO Tony van den Enden said the response from the surf lifesavers was first class and their coordination with emergency services has likely saved the patient’s life.

“We may be putting the red and yellow flags up on our beaches this weekend with the start of summer but our volunteer lifesavers are always waiting for emergency callouts and this is another time when they have gone above and beyond to support our community,” he said.

“The expertise our team was able to impart on the situation is a credit to our Centre of Excellence for Flood and Swift Water Rescue.

"We’re incredibly proud of the efforts of everyone involved in the weekend’s operation.

"The outcome of this rescue underscores the dedication and professionalism of our surf lifesavers.

“Whether it’s on a beach, in broad flood waters, or during a swiftwater operation like this, our volunteers are always ready to respond with the expertise and commitment required to save lives.”