Wednesday, June 11, 2014

** California paramedic killed in off duty plane crash

** German paramedic finally reaches climber injured days ago in cave some 3,000 feet underground

** A Los Angeles paramedic is dead after succumbing to injuries sustained in a Mojave Desert plane crash Monday. That is the word from KNBC-TV (June 10) which also said a boy who was travelling in the aircraft as a passenger was critically injured. According to the news site, the EMS medic has been identified as Brian Lee, 47. Lee, who was off duty at the time, was piloting the plane. He had 25 years experience in the air. Initial information indicates the aircraft was attempting to land on a dry sea bed when it nosedived and flipped just prior to the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating.

** A rescue paramedic in Bavaria has reached an injured climber who was hit by a falling rock Sunday in a network of virtually inaccessible caves. The Express (Jane Matthews/June 10) said Johann Westhauser, 52, sustained head and upper body injuries in the incident; Though he can still walk, his location is some 3,000 feet underground. Rescuers remain concerned hypothermia could also set in during the remaining  rescue effort which could take upwards of a week. According to the newspaper, the team attempting to aid him has been forced to employ a variety of approaches, including climbing, abseiling, and working through cramped spaces. The cave is located near Hitler’s Berchtesgaden holiday home in the Untersberg mountain range.