Teenage boy plummets 100ft off Grand Canyon after dodging vacationers’ picture

A 13-year-old boy has miraculously survived a fall of practically 30 metres on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, USA after he tried to get out of the way in which of some vacationers taking a photograph. 

Authorities stated it took emergency crews two hours to rescue Wyatt Kauffman after he slipped on a cliff on Tuesday (August 8) and plunged from a deathly top on the Bright Angel Point path.

The teenager was airlifted to a Las Vegas hospital for therapy of 9 damaged vertebrae plus a ruptured spleen, a collapsed lung, a concussion, a damaged hand and dislocated finger.

The teenager stated that he had been “moving out of the way so other people could take a picture” when he abruptly slipped and fell. 

Rescue crews needed to rappel down the cliff and get the injured boy out of the canyon in a basket.

“I was up on the ledge and was moving out of the way so other people could take a picture,” Wyatt informed Phoenix TV station KPNX from hospital. 

“I squatted down and was holding on to a rock. I only had one hand on it.

“It wasn’t that good of a grip. It was kind of pushing me back. I lost my grip and started to fall back.”

A frantic two-hour mission to rescue {the teenager} then ensued, with every minute he was left unconscious rising his threat of loss of life.

A National Park Service search and rescue crew arrange a rope rescue right down to the steep and slim path and ultimately raised the teenager safely to the rim.

Dozens of emergency employees had been concerned within the rescue.

“I just remember somewhat waking up and being in the back of an ambulance and a helicopter and getting on a plane and getting here” to the hospital, stated Mr Kauffman, who lives in Casselton, North Dakota.

Brian Kauffman was in North Dakota when he heard about his son’s fall and rescue.

“We’re extremely grateful for the work of everyone. Two hours is an eternity in a situation like that,” Brian Kauffman stated.

He stated his son was discharged from the hospital on Saturday (August 12) and was being pushed house. The teenager and his mother had been anticipated to achieve Casselton on Tuesday (August 15). 

“We’re just lucky we’re bringing our kid home in a car in the front seat instead of in a box,” Brian Kauffman informed KPNX.