Woman killed canyoning in Switzerland

[Iceaxe]

The following is translated from the original French article found here:
http://www.tdg.ch/suisse/faits-diver...story/24487931
Please forgive the translation.... but you get the drift.

20 y/o girl dies in recreational canyoning accident in Switzerland

A woman aged 20 was killed Saturday afternoon in canyoning accident year Avers (GR). The terrain has made the recovery of his body extremely difficult, police said Sunday Graub

[Deathcricket]

that article is hard to read literally. that article is hard to read literally.

[ratagonia]

or, translated by a human:

Young woman loses life in a canyoning accident


posted 8-19-2012


A young woman, aged 20, lost her life saturday afternoon in a canyoning accident, in Avers, Les Grisons, eastern Switzerland, near the Italian border. "The terrain is making recovery of the body extremely difficult", the police announced Sunday.


In the river Ragn de Ferrera, the woman was caught between two rocks in a place where the current was especially strong. Despite her life vest, her upper body was forced underwater. A friend tried cutting the life vest to release her, to no avail.


The girl struggled against the current, but was unable to keep her head above the water. Alpine Rescue was called, as well as specialists in canyoning and police divers, along with a helicopter, but again to no avail.

[Slot Machine]

Here is my translation, it might not be perfect, but it is readable:

A 20 year-old woman was killed Saturday afternoon in an canyoneering accident in the Avers Rhine. The terrain has made the recovery of her body extremely difficult, Graub

[Slot Machine]

Bah! Tom beat me to it.

[SRG]

A 20 year old girl, thats very sad. Condolences to the family.

[Brian in SLC]

Had a beer near the Swiss border, about six miles from this, just a couple of weeks ago. I think this happened on the day we left out of MXP. Sad.

Siphons are scary, and, some are pretty benign looking. We had one in a canyon we did in Italy a couple weeks ago. I didn't see it, assuming it was at the bottom of the rappel rather than just downstream. Just a big, floaty pool which drained through a small hole. Easy swim to avoid from a distance...but...yikes if you got too close.

Sad deal.

[sonnylawrence]

This accident brings up a side issue. Should we wear PFDs in class C canyons? They do in Europe a fair amount. It is required in the canyons near Monterrey, Mexico by the government. I have seen pictures of people using them in Hawaii. But is it wise? A pack can act like a PFD. In the past the standard canyon pack in Europe did not have a chest strap or hip strap. One buckle was a quick release on the shoulder straps. The idea is to take off the pack first or very quickly when in dangerous water situations. More recently the European packs are being made with hip belts and chest straps. But still the technique is to dump the pack if needed. This is mostly for hydraulics. The only way out of a Maytag may be to sink to the bottom and get flushed out with the downstream water. Siphons could be rather difficult with or without flotation.

[restrac2000]

Tough question, Sonny.

Bad hydraulics and siphons like you mention are definitely difficult situations to deal with in a PFD. As a rafter and canyoneer I just firmly stay away from them. Never done a canyon with one though. I have intentionally skipped out on rafting trips in which they are known or common. Rafters with PFDs die in siphons occasionally though I am not sure the bulk and/or floatation of the PFD made much difference. They are just powerful features.

PFD would provide "proper" (principally distribution of) flotation and would be much more ideal in that manner. A pack will never equal the thoughtful design of a proper PFD in swift water.

Are any folks using them in PNW?

Phillip

[Brian in SLC]

This accident brings up a side issue. Should we wear PFDs in class C canyons?... Siphons could be rather difficult with or without flotation.

Should we? I'd say probably not, unless you're with folks who don't know how to swim? Eeek.

Swimming out or away from a siphon has got to be easier unencumbered by a PFD or a pack, methinks. I know from recent experience (Mengasca, Sonny, ha ha!) that swimming across strong current is way easier not wearing or towing a pack.

Some euro canyon sites say this isn't a canyoning accident, per se, but, these folks were river swimming. Still, frightening to think that her partner could get to her, attempted to cut her free, but, was unsuccessful. Ugh.

[restrac2000]

Siphons are awfully frightening that way. Officials have to leave the body there for weeks or even months sometimes before they are capable of rescue.

I know the issue isn't common thus far in american canyoneering but its a worthy discussion. Sections of various rivers have been prompted and considered for closure because of just one recreation death. The Arkansas River (CO) has an ongoing discussion of what to in the Frog Rock stretch, just as an example.

[sonnylawrence]

We had a canyoneering death a few years ago on the Little Kern. A woman was caught in a siphon. So it does happen here in the US. I have the write up. But it is too long to post on the forum. Can I upload files here?

[ratagonia]

We had a canyoneering death a few years ago on the Little Kern. A woman was caught in a siphon. So it does happen here in the US. I have the write up. But it is too long to post on the forum. Can I upload files here?

You can post a long article, Sonny. Lots of spare bits available here.

Probably best as a separate article.

Tom

[sonnylawrence]

I know from recent experience (Mengasca, Sonny, ha ha!) that swimming across strong current is way easier not wearing or towing a pack.
.

The canyon Mengasca in northern Italy flashed while Brian and I were in it two weeks ago. We did not have siphons to deal with. They were under quite a bit of water! Brian nearly died of heat exhaustion. He needs to just do canyons polar bear style.
However that same week we did Boazzo. Dave Meding has fond memories of this canyon from a few years ago. He was caught in a flash flood at the location of a large siphon. He had to swim across and over it to get to a safe ledge to wait out the storm. Meanwhile Sharon Shierling was upstream holding on for dear life for many hours. Storm subsided. Water dropped. The rescue team came in. They accepted a helicopter ride out of the canyon.