The Belgian stuck in a cave in Olargues on Friday evening was discharged from the hospital on Sunday before returning home. This 47-year-old Flemish suffers from a fractured humerus head. This sturdy vacationer was in Hérault last week with about thirty Belgians to explore the caves of the Occitania region.
He fell three meters high. The surgery was particularly long. The victim was evacuated more than 24 hours after the accident because it took widen the passages of the tunnels to carry it on a stretcher. The accident occurred 500 meters from the entrance to this cave PN 77. “The cave of 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 1,500-meter tunnel into which they sink 80 meters underground. It’s about a dry underground river. The site can become dangerous in the event of a rapid increase in water. The authorization for exploration had been granted by the speleological clubs of Béziers and the Avant-Monts.
The specific ORSEC device has been activated
The cave was opened on Friday morning to these experienced speleologists on vacation in the region for several days. They were led in particular by the French Federation of Speleology. The victim is used to underground exploration. This group was in total autonomy and was aware of the rough terrain.
The intervention amounts to several tens of thousands of euro at the expense of SDIS 34
A hundred rescuers were mobilized, including 28 volunteers from French speleological rescue
of the Hérault, Aude and Aveyron. The Orsec plan had been activated. SSF Matters 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
Fortunately, the operation ended well for the victim he was promptly taken care of by the Hérault firefighters. A fairly heavy intervention from the financial point of view for the resources involved (human, aerial, etc.) and for the duration of the relief efforts. Several tens of thousands of euros according to our information. This bill is the responsibility of SDIS 34. Rescue services are free in France.
In France, the rescue costs incurred by the state and communities are not billed
France, unlike Germany or Switzerland, applies free relief to people: it is a legal principle carved in marble since a royal ordinance of 1733 from the time of King Louis XIV and reaffirmed by the civil security modernization law in 2004.
About forty deputies (former 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.
