A woman who was trapped between two rocks for seven hours after trying to retrieve her phone has been rescued.
Emergency services were called to an area of bushland in the Hunter Valley wine region earlier this month following reports of a woman trapped between two rocks.
The New South Wales woman had tried to retrieve her phone from the rocks, but she slipped, fell down a three-metre crack and was left hanging upside down.
The woman’s friends spent about an hour trying to rescue her, but eventually called Triple Zero for help.
NSW Ambulance Specialist Rescue Paramedic Peter Watts worked alongside a team to create a safe access point.
The team built a wooden frame around the area before beginning the arduous task of removing the heavy rocks.
Photos from the rescue mission showed the woman’s feet visible as she hung upside down inside the dark hole.
The woman became trapped in a sharp “S” curve, proving a challenge for rescuers, who spent more than an hour trying to guide her through the tight space.
The woman was trapped face down after sliding down a three-meter crack between two rocks.
It took emergency services seven hours to try to free the woman
The woman was safely freed after rescuers moved a 500kg rock.
The team also used a specialized winch to move a huge 500kg boulder.
“In my 10 years as a rescue paramedic I have never come across a job like this – it was challenging but incredibly rewarding,” said Peter Watts.
“Each agency had a role and we all worked incredibly well together to achieve a good outcome for the patient.”
NSW Ambulance said the woman was released safely after seven hours with only minor scratches and bruises, however her phone was not so lucky.
“The patient was unable to retrieve her phone,” NSW Ambulance wrote.