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Driver Rescued After Five Days Trapped in 300-Meter Ravine in Ardèche

Authorities have opened an inquiry into the February 16 crash.

Overview

  • Hunters on a boar hunt spotted debris along the RD122 near Saint-Julien-du-Gua and descended to find the wreck with the 48-year-old conscious but extremely weak.
  • Specialized firefighters, a SMUR crew and a Sécurité civile helicopter carried out a difficult, multi-hour extraction and hoist in the steep, wooded ravine.
  • The car had plunged roughly 300–350 meters and was severely damaged, with BFMTV reporting the engine was ejected by the impact.
  • The driver, from Allier, had been listed as a missing person for several days before being airlifted to Hôpital Lyon Sud in grave condition.
  • BFMTV reported a nearby stream may have allowed limited hydration during the entrapment, and investigators plan to question the driver when his health allows.