Teen boy trapped in Warrandyte State Park mine
THE father of a teenage boy who was on Friday rescued from an abandoned mine shaft has thanked his son’s saviours.
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THE father of a teenage boy who was on Friday rescued from an abandoned mine shaft has thanked his son’s saviours.
Emergency services needed more than an hour to extract 13-year-old Josh McCudden, who had become trapped 8m below ground.
Josh was discovered by a group boys who were riding bikes in the Warrandyte State Park just before 5pm.
“They were riding along a popular bike track when they noticed a bike lying near the closed-off mine shaft with rope leading down the hole,” said Josh’s father, Kevin.
“Thinking the stray bike was a bit strange, the boys stopped and peered down and saw a piece of rope attached to nearby wiring leading down.
“One of the young boys yelled if everyone was okay, not expecting to hear Josh’s cries for help.
“As soon as they did, they called 000.”
PICS JUST IN: A rescue operation is underway in the Warrandyte State Park, where a mine shaft has collapsed, trapping a teenage boy. No reports of injury. #9News pic.twitter.com/R5RQ5xZtGW
— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) January 5, 2018
Mr McCudden said Josh found himself in trouble when he dropped his phone while exploring the shaft.
“Josh is just like any 13-year-old boy,” he said.
“He’s curious and will try things before thinking of the consequences.
“He lowered himself down with a piece of rope and while going down, he dropped his phone.
“It was when he was trying to retrieve his mobile phone that he became trapped.”
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Josh was examined by paramedics but did not require medical treatment.
Nine CFA trucks were dispatched to help in the rescue in the Black Flat area of the park, 35km north east of Melbourne.