The Belgian stranded Friday evening in a cave in Olargues was released this Sunday from the hospital before returning home. This 47-year-old Flemish suffers from a fracture of the head of the humerus. This heavily built holidaymaker was in Hérault last week with around thirty Belgians to explore the caves of the Occitanie region.
He fell three meters in height. The intervention was particularly long. The victim was evacuated more than 24 hours after his accident because it took widen the passages of the galleries to evacuate him on a stretcher. The accident occurred 500 meters from the entrance to this cave PN 77. “The cave of the nickel-plated feet”. This is the nickname of the speleologists who discovered the site in 1977.
This cave is closed to the public. No violations observed
Normally, this rugged cave is closed to the public. Without prior authorization, it is impossible to explore the 1500 meters of gallery, which sink to 80 meters underground. It’s about a dry underground river. The site can become dangerous in the event of a rapid rise in water. Exploration authorization had been granted by the caving clubs of Béziers and the Avant-monts.
The specific ORSEC device triggered
The grotto had been opened on Friday morning to this group. These are experienced cavers on vacation in the region for several days. They were notably guided by the French caving federation. The victim is accustomed to underground explorations. The speleologists were in total autonomy and were aware of the rugged terrain.
The intervention amounts to several tens of thousands of euros at the expense of the SDIS 34
About a hundred rescuers were mobilized, including 28 volunteers from the French Caving Rescue
of Hérault, Aude and Aveyron. The Orsec plan had been triggered. The French Caving Rescue is 2,000 volunteer rescuers in France. An agreement has been signed with the prefectures, including that of Hérault, to support firefighters during dangerous interventions in underground environments.
loading
The stretcher left the cavity at 6:40 p.m. after five hours of evacuation. The victim was then airlifted for hospitalization.
Fortunately, the operation ended well for the victim who was quickly taken care of by the firefighters of the Hérault. A fairly heavy intervention financially due to the resources involved (human, air, etc.) and the duration of the rescue. Several tens of thousands of euros according to our information. The invoice has not yet been encrypted. Obviously, this bill is the responsibility of SDIS 34. Rescue services are free in France.
In France, the rescue costs incurred by the State and the communities are not invoiced
France, unlike Germany or Switzerland, applies free relief to people: it is a legal principle engraved in marble since a royal ordinance of 1733 from the time of King Louis XIV and reaffirmed by law. modernization of civil security in 2004.
About forty deputies (formerly UMP) had tried in 2013 to create an exception to the principle of free admission for people who had shown “characterized imprudence”, but their bill had been sent back to committee, then buried.