TWO Launceston youths injured in a rock climbing accident on Friday have spoken of the fall that left one of them with a broken pelvis.
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The paramedics who treated them have told of fearing the worst when they received the call to Launceston's Cataract Gorge.
Henry Strong, 14, and Julian Woods, Rob Strong, and Hugh Poland, all 15 of Launceston, were climbing a 10-metre cliff face opposite Duck Reach when a piece of equipment holding their rope gave way.
"We didn't know anything about the climb because it had only recently been done and it wasn't in the guide book we had," Julian said last night.
"We placed a nut, a small wedge of metal, into a finger crack and tugged on it and it felt really solid."
The boys then climbed up and down the ledge a few times.
When Henry was about to come down after another climb, the nut came loose.
He then fell into Julian's chest, who was holding the rope, taking both of them down the cliff.
Both fell onto a lip jutting out of the cliff and then fell for another four and five metres.
Hugh then called the paramedics.
One of the paramedics to respond to the call was Daniel Kotynia.
"We were told they had fallen 10 to 20 metres off a cliff - hugely significant injuries would be expected for that," Mr Kotynia said.
"If you had survived you would not be very well at all."
Instead they found Julian, who had various grazes and rope burns, helping Henry, who had a broken pelvis.
After surveying the scene police and ambulance services called a helicopter.
Mr Kotynia said the helicopter had been called as a precaution in case of spinal injuries and because of the rocky terrain.
Henry was flown to the Launceston General Hospital.
Henry and Rob's father, Tim Strong, said he could not thank the ambulance, police services and 4K staff at the Launceston General Hospital enough.
"At every stage of the response the entire emergency services team distinguished themselves with their professionalism, skill and kindness," Dr Strong said.
"We are extremely grateful."
All the boys have had about a year of climbing experience and each had their own, correct, gear.
And the accident has not deterred them from continuing the activity once fully healed.
"It is a confidence thing ... from now on we are going to be paranoid and check and double check everything," Julian said.
Henry is recovering in the children's ward at the Launceston General Hospital and Julian has a bandaged left arm.
