Climber Amputates Own Arm To Survive

Just in case you missed the national media furore over the past couple of days, the papers are full of the extraordinary story of the American climber who hacked off his right arm with a pocket knife after it became trapped under a huge boulder in a Utah canyon.

Aron Ralston, 27, was trapped for five days when the boulder which he'd been using as a handhold apparently rolled onto his arm, after running out of water, he made the decision to amputate his arm below the elbow, then abbed to the canyon floor where he was reportedly spotted by a rescue helicopter and airlifted to hospital.

Obviously an incredibly brave and determined man with a phenomenal will to survive. For more details see:

? BBC news story
? Outside Magazine web site
? Ralston's own web site
? Salt Lake Tribune