Man rescued after kayaking incident at Horseshoe Falls

A man was recused this weekend after falling into the water in a kayaking incident at Horseshoe Falls.

Volunteers with NEWSAW (North East Wales Search & Rescue) were called on Saturday morning (February 4) to the incident to assist the emergency services.

A man was recovered from the water and received CPR.

Once the casualty started breathing again, he was stabilised and transferred on a team stretcher up the hill to a waiting land ambulance for onward travel to hospital.

In a statement on social media, NEWSAR said: “On Saturday morning North Wales Police called the team to assist with a kayaking incident at Horseshoe falls.

“A male had been recovered from the water and was receiving CPR.

“One of the the team’s Water Incident Managers was on scene in minutes and reported that CPR had been successful and the male was breathing again.

“Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, Wales Air Ambulance / Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service / Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru were also now on scene.

“A huge shout out must go to the incredible efforts of the professional guides and other river users in the immediate vicinity who carried out the initial rescue and CPR.

“We wish the casualty a speedy recovery.

NEWSAR is a non profit organisation which relies solely on donations made by members of the public.

It provides support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days to those in need throughout Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham & parts of Conwy & Powys.

NEWSAR recently launched a fundraising campaign to replace its current stock of five vacuum mattresses, which are reaching the end of their operational life span. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​

Vacuum mattresses are critical for the extraction of casualties, especially from remote and hazardous locations. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​

When used with specialist stretchers, these mattresses become rigid after air is pumped out, cocooning the casualty. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​

To contribute to NEWSAR’s appeal click here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/vacmat

Pictures: NEWSAR Facebook page