Runner rescued after falling down 200-meter chasm

In the middle of a mountain marathon, one runner fell down a chasm that was 200 metres deep, with rescuers working almost three hours to save him. The incident took place in the Muang district of Rayong province yesterday morning during the “Peak Mountain Khao Yaida Trail 2022” marathon.

The parents of the 30 year old runner said he loves running and has frequently taken part in other running events without incident. But this time he stumbled and plummeted into the chasm, reportedly losing consciousness as he fell.

His parents waited anxiously at the base of the Khao Yaida mountain, watching as rescuers attempted to pull him out of the pit, with his mother criticising that the rescue efforts were delayed and too slow. But the rescue team explained that the runner had a large body making it difficult to retrieve him and, because he had fainted on the way down, they needed to supply him with oxygen at the bottom of the hole before they could hoist him to out safely.

Aside from those problems, the actual depth of the chasm further hindered rescue efforts and so the rescuers worked for three hours before they were able to get the runner all the way out of the pit. It wasn’t until he was pulled from the chasm that he finally regained consciousness. He was then transported to the Rayong branch of Bangkok Hospital for further treatment, though the details of his injuries were not available.

Despite his mother’s accusations, the organiser of the marathon event explained that the run had safety measures in place and that the team of medic rescuers were competent and effective. He said that medical teams were on standby to help any runner that was in need and had been posted at all the areas that could be dangerous.

The organiser also said that the rescuers arrived very quickly at where the runner had fallen and went to work without delay, but because the chasm was so deep, the rescue took several hours to complete.

SOURCE: The Nation