BYTOM, Poland – A 22-year-old climber fell 50 feet after forgetting to clip into the belay device at the bottom of the climb in a Polish gym earlier this month. The climber, presumably attempting to capture a successful climb on camera, filmed the entire thing, with the video circulating around the internet following the incident.
According to the Daily Mail, the climber was taken to the Trauma Centre in Sosnowiec via air-ambulance, where he underwent several surgeries. Sports club employee Dobromir Bujak told local press that the man was experienced enough to be climbing alone.
Reports do indicate that the man is expected to make a full recovery despite the horrific injuries.
This video is not a pleasant watch. If we weren’t sure that the guy survived, and if we didn’t know that the guy was expected to make a full recovery, this would be an entirely different sort of story. But this case can act as a reminder as to why, when climbing, skiing, snowboarding, or doing anything legitimately risky, we take some important steps to ensure safety. They may seem tedious (climbers know the tedious nature of the call and response cues that go on throughout a climb), but they are absolutely necessary.
DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS DISTURBING
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