Rock Climbing Fatality in Tasmania
A 31-year-old French national, residing in Victoria, died after falling 20 meters from a cliff in Tasmania's Sand River Conservation Area at Buckland. The incident occurred on Tuesday while he was rock climbing with a friend.
Emergency services were called to the location around 1:20 PM. The man was transported by rescue helicopter to the Royal Hobart Hospital in critical condition, where he died a short time later. Police have stated their thoughts are with the man's family, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Previous Incident at Sand River
This marks the second fatal cliff fall at the Sand River reserve in five years. In 2021, an 11-year-old Victorian girl died after falling over 10 meters from a cliff in the same area. Police reported at the time that she lost her footing while walking along the edge during a walking and rock-climbing expedition with her siblings.
Sand River Climbing Area
The Sand River Conservation Area is recognized as a popular location for rock climbing, featuring numerous routes of varying difficulty. Websites dedicated to rock climbing note that the sandstone in the area can be fragile, particularly when wet.