A Terrifying Ordeal in the Outback
A 60-year-old woman survived a harrowing 12-hour ordeal after falling eight metres into a cave in remote Western Australia, sparking a massive multi-agency rescue effort in the Goldfields region.
The Rescue Unfolds
Police and paramedics were called to David Carnegie Road in Lake Wells, approximately 1,400 kilometres north-east of Perth, around 5pm on Friday after reports emerged of the woman's fall into the cave system at Empress Spring.
Multiple agencies collaborated on the scene, including the Department of Fire and Emergency Services crews, Laverton Police, St John WA, the WA Country Health Service, and the WA Department of Health.
The woman fell into the cave in Lake Wells, a remote area in the Goldfields. (Supplied: WA Police)
While waiting for specialist vertical rescue equipment to arrive, the woman's partner acted swiftly by lowering essential supplies into the cave, such as first aid kits, water, and camp chairs, which provided crucial support overnight.
The woman was finally freed early Saturday morning. (Supplied: WA Police)
The woman was safely extracted at 5:35am on Saturday and transported to Laverton Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Overcoming Challenging Conditions
Laverton Police Officer in Charge Senior Sergeant Brendan Grogan emphasized that the remote location posed significant challenges, but the couple's preparedness was a key factor in the successful outcome.
He stated, "It reinforces the importance of being well prepared, as the woman and her partner were, and serves as a reminder of how quickly a perfect day outdoors can shift into a potentially life-threatening emergency."
The woman's partner was able to lower supplies to her. (Supplied: WA Police)
Goldfields-Midlands DFES Acting Superintendent Murray McBride highlighted the necessity of an inter-agency response, noting, "The logistics of reaching the site with the necessary specialised crew and equipment were challenging. It was then a tricky rescue which required a lot of skill in a specialised vertical context with a potentially seriously injured patient who had fallen as many as eight metres and been isolated overnight."
The incident occurred about 1,400 kilometres from Perth. (Supplied: WA Police)
WA Country Health Goldfields Executive Director Alicia Michalanney confirmed that regional health teams provided immediate assessment and treatment upon the patient's arrival at the hospital, and she was in a stable condition.
A St John WA spokesperson praised the effort, saying, "This was an outstanding example of collaboration across multi agencies and St John WA is proud to work alongside our colleagues in emergency services."
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