Franklin River Rescue: 20-Hour Ordeal Ends in Underwater Amputation | E190

In this episode of the Crux True Survival Story Podcast, hosts Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen recount the harrowing 20-hour survival and rescue ordeal of 65-year-old Lithuanian adventurer Valdas Bieliauskas in the wilderness of Tasmania. After a tragic fall left Valdas' leg wedged between two boulders in freezing rapids, his friends and a dedicated Australian rescue team faced impossible decisions and extraordinary challenges. The rescue's climax involved an underwater amputation performed with minimal resources, saving Valdas' life. This story underscores human resilience, the capabilities of modern emergency medicine, and the extraordinary courage of wilderness rescue professionals.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:32 The Incident on the Franklin River

04:03 The Rescue Operation Begins

07:04 The Struggle to Free Valdas

16:24 Critical Decisions and Final Attempts

21:13 A Desperate Situation

21:43 The Arrival of Dr. Kippax

22:57 The Underwater Amputation

26:39 A Race Against Time

29:15 The Miracle of Hypothermia

30:42 A Remarkable Recovery

34:14 Reflections on Risk and Rescue

38:52 Valdas' Future Plans

41:44 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

42:57 Closing Remarks

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References-

• ABC News Australia. "How one slip on the Franklin River triggered a race to save a rafter's life." June 28, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-29/franklin-river-rescue-man-stuck-lithuanian-valdas-leg-amputated/105420916
• RNZ News. "Your leg or your life: Inside a perilous 24-hour wild river rescue." June 29, 2025. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/565467/your-leg-or-your-life-inside-a-perilous-24-hour-wild-river-rescue
• LRT (Lithuanian National Radio and Television). "Your leg or your life: Lithuanian traveller lost limb in near-deadly accident in Tasmania." February 1, 2025. https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2474903/your-leg-or-your-life-lithuanian-traveller-lost-limb-in-near-deadly-accident-in-tasmania
• Australian Story (ABC). "The River: Franklin River Rescue" (Parts 1 & 2). June 30 & July 7, 2025. Available on ABC iview.
• Brittle, Rob and Parkinson, Mitch (Intensive Care Flight Paramedics, Ambulance Tasmania). "Patient Centred Team Based Critical Care In Austere Environments." Australian College of Paramedicine. https://paramedics.org/news/patient-centred-team-based-critical-care-in-austere-environments
• Paddling Magazine. "Inside The Whitewater Accident That Led To An Underwater Amputation." July 18, 2025. https://paddlingmag.com/stories/news-events/underwater-amputation-rescue/
• Pulse Tasmania. "Tasmanian doctor receives prestigious Lithuanian award for dramatic river leg amputation." July 7, 2025. https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/tasmanian-doctor-receives-prestigious-lithuanian-award-for-dramatic-river-leg-amputation/
• Water by Nature Tasmania - Franklin River Rafting. https://franklinriver.com/
• Rafting.com. "Franklin River Rafting Trips." https://www.rafting.com/australia/tasmania/franklin-river/

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