By Brendan Kearns
Valdas Bieliauskas, a 66-year-old Lithuanian adventurer, was white water rafting along Tasmania鈥檚 Franklin River with friends in November last year when he slipped and wedged his leg between rocks and fast-running water.
What followed was a 20-hour high-intensity mission involving police, paramedics, surf lifesavers, air-rescuers and health services that ended with the kayaker鈥檚 leg being amputated at the scene.
Rescuers and Mr Bieliauskas spoke to Australian Story, sharing new detail on how the dynamic rescue took place.
Mr Bieliauskas was travelling with 10 fellow rafters along the river when he became trapped.
His companions first tried to rescue him themselves, before calling for help using a satellite phone, Australian Story reported.
When rescuers arrived they tried every thinkable option to save Mr Bieliauskas 鈥 they attempted to spread the rocks, drilled a tripod to lift him, and tried pure brute force to lift the kayaker.
鈥淚 began to think, maybe I鈥檓 destined to stay here, stuck, forever,鈥 Mr Bieliauskas told the program.
Eventually the rescuers had to make a harrowing decision, to amputate the Lithuanian鈥檚 leg.
Intensive Care flight paramedic Rohan Kilham told the ABC he felt 鈥渟o conflicted鈥.
鈥淚f this goes ahead, you might kill him.
鈥淏ut even if it all goes perfectly, he鈥檒l never be the same again.鈥
Another rescuer Adrian Petrie told the program Mr Bieliauskas鈥 demeanour had 鈥渢otally changed鈥 as hypothermia set in, necessitating the amputation.
鈥淚鈥檇 never had to hurt someone to save their life,鈥 Mr Petrie said.
Even then, the amputation is not without its challenges, with the only doctor in the rescue team, Nick Scott, breaking his wrist in a sudden fall as he made his way towards the water鈥檚 edge.
Hours later, another doctor, Jorian Kippax, was winched on to the scene. He told ABC he was reluctant, but knew the only way to save the tourist was to proceed with the amputation.
鈥淭he inevitable consequence of him staying there was death, and that was going to be quite soon,鈥 he said.
Mr Bieliauskas was knocked out with ketamine during the operation, but when he was freed his fellow rafters feared the worst.
One Lithuanian compatriot Arvydas Rudokas told the ABC: 鈥淭he colour of his skin, and the body 鈥 my diagnosis was Valdas is dead.鈥
Mr Bieliauskas recovered in the Royal Hobart Hospital following the operation and returned to his home-country in January this year.
At the time Tasmania鈥檚 Department of Health Acting Secretary Professor Dinesh Arya praised rescuers and emergency workers for their part in saving Mr Bieliauskas 鈥 life.
鈥淭his is a great example of a whole of health system and cross-agency effort that has resulted in this man鈥檚 life being saved.鈥
Now, in an unexpected twist the Lithuanian kayaker told Australian Story he planned to return to the Franklin River in 2026 and finish what he started.