| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak, Dean | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
In the afternoon of Monday, July 13, 1981 Dean Peak (15) and two companions of similar age were caving in Harry Hole Hole, a cave near Hankin Point not far from Coal Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Peak was free climbing at a waterfall when a handhold broke causing him to fall 25 feet to the bottom.
One companion exited the 150 feet of passage, mostly crawlway, to get help while the other descended and waited with the victim, who had suffered at least a six inch gash on the side of his head, and was unable to do the climb necessary to get out of the cave.
At Coal Harbour a single rescuer was obtained, Murray Reusch but when he was brought back to the scene, the rope he had proved too short – additional help and equipment would obviously be needed. Reusch descended and waited with the victim.
Calls went to the local ambulance service, the RCMP, and the mine rescue team from Island Copper. Jim Pelletier, an experienced caver was captain of the latter which arrived at the cave entrance at 8 p.m. Monday evening. Those at the bottom of the shaft had for some time been soaking wet from the spray of the waterfall and the victim was becoming hypothermic.
Apparently a rope was rigged, the victim was fitted with Gibbs ascenders and with a safety line (belay?) allowed to ascend the waterfall under his own power. He also had to do the 150 feet of crawling to the entrance since there was insufficient room to carry him. At the entrance he was transported in a basket litter down the steep slope to the shore of Rupert Arm.
The cavers were poorly equipped and lacked experience. The lack of a helmet-mounted light may have contributed to the fall. Without a helmet the victim was lucky not to have suffered worse head injuries. The use of running shoes also could have made climbing more difficult.
Dean Peak fell 25 feet due to a broken handhold while free climbing, sustaining a head injury. The lack of appropriate gear and experience contributed to the incident.