Offwidth rescue effort resulting in chipping and drilling to extract climber

So, I live in Europe, and apparently a climber needed to be rescued after getting “both knees stuck” in an offwidth (based on secondhand reports). They had to chop and drill away sections of the rock. This was in a relatively well accessible single pitch crag. 

It just got me thinking if something like this could have ever even happened in the Creek or Yosemite or somewhere. So, I was just wondering if anyone has any examples of a rescue effort that required chipping and drilling to extract a climber.

There are offwidths in Europe?

Is there a link to a story about it?

Presuming everything else was tried, it’s not like they’d leave someone to die there—so it would happen here too I think.

There have been bolts installed ("drilling") to facilitate a rescue in the US. I forget which climb, but it was fairly recent.

How the hell do you get both knees stuck in an offwidth?

Sideways invert, then slip slide  downward into a tighter constriction, most likely. Can you imagine, getting both knees stuck whilst hanging upside down???   Knee stack, less likely.   

FrankPSwrote:

There have been bolts installed ("drilling") to facilitate a rescue in the US. I forget which climb, but it was fairly recent.

This isn't all that uncommon. In certain locales a bolt kit is a standard part of the equipment load out.

I remember that in the early 90s a well known climber (Skinner, Mittendorf…?) got his knee stuck in a crack on the Great Trango and spent hours pounding pins around his knee to release it. 

Derek DeBruinwrote:

This isn't all that uncommon. In certain locales a bolt kit is a standard part of the equipment load out.

Here's an example in CCC
https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/112273152

Shoulda left them there! For the ethics!

Climber needs SAR to get out safely. SAR comes and does their job safely. Climbing community can keep climbing there. And there are people in that photo thread that are upset at some bolt holes? Since when did bolting ethics trump serious injury or death after an accident?

Thank you to all SAR personnel for what you do. please bolt my trad lines if you keep us alive and safe.

Frank Steinwrote:

I remember that in the early 90s a well known climber (Skinner, Mittendorf…?) got his knee stuck in a crack on the Great Trango and spent hours pounding pins around his knee to release it. 

British expedition ... Martin Boysen (hope spelling is correct)

Blood was the lubricant that finally set him free

Went back the next year and climbed the rte

Middendorf  is johns  last name ... Grand voyage was climbed by him and Xavier Bongard on Trango 

alpinist 47wrote:

British expedition ... Martin Boysen (hope spelling is correct)

Blood was the lubricant that finally set him free

Went back the next year and climbed the rte

Middendorf  is johns  last name ... Grand voyage was climbed by him and Xavier Bongard on Trango 

That’s the one!

Weston Swrote:

Is there a link to a story about it?

Presuming everything else was tried, it’s not like they’d leave someone to die there—so it would happen here too I think.

No, it was pretty low key. Only heard through a local climbing club. Don’t think they wanted to draw unnecessary attention.

I believe it was a 5.10-something route. So presumably an OW novice. 

Weston Swrote:

Is there a link to a story about it?

Presuming everything else was tried, it’s not like they’d leave someone to die there—so it would happen here too I think.

Not much of a story but: 8a.nu/news/drilled-out-afte…

FrankPSwrote:

There have been bolts installed ("drilling") to facilitate a rescue in the US. I forget which climb, but it was fairly recent.

Epi 

Surprised no one has posted this video yet:

FrankPSwrote:

There have been bolts installed ("drilling") to facilitate a rescue in the US. I forget which climb, but it was fairly recent.

happens more often than you think..

https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/112273152

Someone got their knee stuck on ruper in eldo..    they had to use a bunch of dish soap to free him.  A sign stood at the base of the approach for a while stating that it may be slippery.

SAR in Squamish drilled and chipped someone out of a relatively new climb called St Bernard recently. squamishchief.com/local-new…

The Swedish climbing association wrote an article about the incident:

https://www.klatterforbundet.se/2022/06/16/oskar-satt-fast-mer-an-sex-timmar-raddades-av-stenhuggande-brandman/

Obviously in Swedish, but Google translate should give you something.

One knee stuck (not both), and seems to have been well handled by everyone involved.