A freak incident has taken the life of a 60-year-old sport climber from Czechia on Greece’s Kalymnos Island. Anchors in poor condition broke as the climber started rappelling, and then neglect from rescue services did the rest.
The accident took place on St. Savvas, a 7b+ route in the Jurassic Park sector. The man climbed the route, anchored himself to the belay, and started rappelling. The entire belay, consisting of 10mm expansion bolts (of an unidentified brand) and Petzl hangers, broke loose, as did the anchor immediately below.
What happened
Revolt Kalymnos, a non-profit group of voluntary climbers devoted to improving safety at the island’s climbing crags, has issued a detailed report on the fall:
The climber finished leading the route, clipped the chains, then started lowering and cleaning the route. He removed the two quickdraws below the anchor. Then, the anchor failed (both bolts at the anchor broke).
Since the climber had already removed the last two draws before the anchor, the load transferred to the next bolt down (3rd bolt before the anchor). This bolt also broke.
The climber took a long fall and crashed into a mid-wall ledge. Still, he could have saved his life as he was conscious and responsive — but everything went wrong.
Failed rescue
There is an ongoing investigation to determine exactly what happened, but climbers on the spot requested a helicopter rescue, which was initially denied. When the helicopter finally came, obstructed terrain and bad weather prevented the pilots from retrieving the climber, Planet Mountain reported.
“After hours of desperate efforts by the volunteers on the ground, the operation eventually resulted in the tragic loss of life: the climber was transferred to Kalymnos Hospital, where his death was later confirmed,” Planet Mountain added, noting that all rescue services in the island are staffed by volunteers. There are no government Helicopter Emergency Medical Services.
The right side of the Jurassic Park sector in Kalymnos. The St. Stavas route, where the accident took place, is #10. Photo: Climbapedia.org
Avoid old bolts
The route had been opened and equipped in 2004 and had never been rebolted. Rebolt Kalymnos reported that aging hardware failed and ultimately caused the climber’s death. “He did nothing wrong,” they insisted.
The non-profit warns visitors to avoid routes equipped before 2005 and not improved since then. Rebolt Kalymnos notes that the routes they rebolt are usually equipped with rebolted Raumer glue-ins or Lappas expansion bolts. “This is exactly the kind of accident we have been working to prevent,” they wrote.
A favorite spot
Kalymnos is a favorite spot for European sport climbers, eager to enjoy the island’s numerous crags against a background of pristine beaches, Mediterranean food, and ocean sunsets. It may be far too hot to climb in summer, but in fall and spring, it’s an ideal climbing getaway. Climbing tourism is one of the main sources of income on the island.
However, this accident should remind visitors of the importance of updated information, not only about the routes and their difficulty, but also about the quality of the equipment and the procedures in case a rescue is required.
The Jurassic Park sector in Kalymnos has 20 to 30 high-quality routes from 6a to 8b. The side of the wall where the accident took place is described as “overhanging with a large cave, that is also peppered with large pockets and holds,” according to Climbapedia.
