failed rescue attempt

[Yuki]

A hiker who wondered into a minefield, got injured, being hoisted and falls down to his death...

 

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=423_1236854793

[jfcorey]

that is absolutely horrible

[Yamer]

ok well i hate to be the logical one here so, yes its horrible and unfortunate, how do you get the idea to go HIKING in a MINEFIELD??? i say he sealed his fate by choosing to do that in the first place. luckily he lived through the mine explosion. the chopper fall sucks, yes, but had he have never CHOSEN to go picnicing in the field this woulda never happened in the first place...

 

and that's my rant on job security for public safety proffesionals...

 

 

sad story though.

[rotormandan]

Any chance that he didn't know it was a mine field until his foot got blown off?

[gizmo]

The articles I read stated he was on a picnic. GIVE ME A BREAK!! From what I understand, there are mines everywhere over there and they utilize the explosives in them either for their own wartime purpose or to sell to the highest bidder.

[Pogue]

Don't know about this one in particular,but most minefields are not posted.

[AngelFire_91]

I'm courious to know what kind of hoist setup that was. I don't have any experience with hoisting people, but I would think they could have set that up a little better, didn't look like the guy was secured very well, just my observation.

 

You might also want to put a disclaimer somewhere that it's not for the faint at heart.

[Justin DBC]

A couple of issues here.

 

First, I doubt they were intentionally picnicing in a minefield. Whoever wrote that was probably being a smart a$$

 

It did look like a poorly set up operation. It looked like they had 2 rescuers and the victim on that hoist. I don't know what kind of hoist they were using, but in our H-60's, the maximum weight you can put on them is 600 lbs. I know the line didn't snap, but it could have. It looks like they used a rescue strap to extract the guy. If you don't secure it properly, the victim can lift up his arms and fall right through the strap. I'm going to pass this video off to my FI so he can use it as an example of what not to do on a hoist op.

 

J-

[rick1128]

While I feel for the guy, that's what you get when you wander around old battlefields without knowing what you are doing. Heck they're still finding land mines from WW1 in France and they are still live and more dangerous then they were originally.

 

Generally minefields are not marked and more often than not are not properly mapped out. These are just a couple of the reasons they are so deadly. And yes I have worked in countries that still have active minefields. Angola, Sudan and Afghanistan. You watch where you go and where you put your feet.

[Justin DBC]

And yes I have worked in countries that still have active minefields. Angola, Sudan and Afghanistan. You watch where you go and where you put your feet.

 

The worst feeling in the world is watching some old Afghan man yelling at you and making obscure hand and arms signals showing that you are on the wrong side of the painted rocks (i.e. in the mine field). No bueno.

 

J-

[Yuki]

whether they (they were three) were looking for a place to BBQ, or, dig out explosives for a future IED it does not matter. The second he stepped on the mine it became a rescue operation. Obviously, a failure of the rescue team (called unit 669). As for minefields in Israel-they are all marked clearly and fenced against hikers and cattle.

[Goldy]

It did look like a poorly set up operation. It looked like they had 2 rescuers and the victim on that hoist. I don't know what kind of hoist they were using, but in our H-60's, the maximum weight you can put on them is 600 lbs. I know the line didn't snap, but it could have. It looks like they used a rescue strap to extract the guy. If you don't secure it properly, the victim can lift up his arms and fall right through the strap.

 

I agree. Looks like his arms were in a V pattern and then he probably reached to grab something...a skid...which raised his arm even more, and out he slipped. Good reason to NEVER use a strap, that would have never happened in a harness....or better yet, a stokes where you are strapped in. I couldnt believe 3 men on the hoist either, dont know of one that is rated for 1000 pounds, which would be a minimum for 3 guys and gear.

 

Anyway, gruesome as it is, it does show the importance of having and using the right equipment.

 

Goldy

[Justin DBC]

I agree. Looks like his arms were in a V pattern and then he probably reached to grab something...a skid...which raised his arm even more, and out he slipped. Good reason to NEVER use a strap, that would have never happened in a harness....or better yet, a stokes where you are strapped in. I couldnt believe 3 men on the hoist either, dont know of one that is rated for 1000 pounds, which would be a minimum for 3 guys and gear.

 

Anyway, gruesome as it is, it does show the importance of having and using the right equipment.

 

Goldy

 

Personally I probably would have used the rescue strap for this one. The stokes litter would be no good because of the larger surface area... Not what you want in a mine field. You COULD use a harness, but you have to keep in mind that you're going to have an increased time on the ground. I'm not too familiar with Israel, but I would imagine that areas with minefields aren't the safest places for a government helicopter to hang out in an OGE hover.

[jonf]

I was just there last summer and saw the marked minefields. Crazy that happened