that little victory
Published November 19, 2008 | 
You’d laugh if it were not real. . . Apparently Eugen Benchea is becoming a bit of an adventure rescue expert. He’s now been rescued 4 times in the last year. According to the Wimmera Mail Times the first was after a failed attempt to make a crossing to Tasmania, then apparently he was rescued when trying to recover the kayak. So then Mr. Benchea decided to stay on land and try climbing instead. Today was his second climbing rescue. Here’s the money quote from the local Search & Rescue guy: “After rescuing Mr Benchea four times it was clear the incidents were more than just bad luck“.
As I’ve said many times, failure is simply a learning experience. Well, if you survive and have the wisdom to learn. This story had it’s lessons of course, but not necessarily for whom you’d think. It seems there was a bit of confusion over protocols that caused delays which prevented an air rescue for Eugen. In the end he got the royal-bearer treatment through the dark and didn’t get to the hospital until the wee hours of the following day. A sudden little controversy over who should call who and when suddenly seems to have flared up. Well, frankly it’s a good conversation to have. . . A conversation that may save lives in the future. A conversation Inspired by Eugen Benchea. . . who in the end can take home that little victory.
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5 Responses to that little victory
I think Eugen has exhaussted the “benefit of the doubt” when it comes to repeated rescues.
The guy is a klutz, daredevil or plain unprepared bozo.
I think that after the third strike he should be handed with the bill of the cost of his rescue.
Maybe he might rethink his actions next time and stop wasting tax payers money and putting other’s life at risk to carry his sorry (or unlucky) ass out of trouble.
Sh*t happens and it does, but 4 times in a year…
Get a blessing Eugen
agreed.
Well I know Eugene very well, and I’ll say he does take some risks but this is a simple case of people believing everything they read.
Trying to paddle to Tasmania?? WTF is that? who reported this information should be shot, he never attempted anything like that.
He was part of a group that did need rescuing from the Wilsons Prom area when unexpected bad weather took hold of his group, these things do happen.
His girlfriend at the time needed rescuing while walking in the Mt Buller area, and yes, he had a rock climbing accident.
Get some facts before you start laying the boot into complete strangers.
Hi James,
Thanks for that information. As you can see the comments are directly based on the Wimmera paper reports. We or anyone generally assume the local paper is stating facts, but you’re right that they can make a mess of things sometimes. If the reports are bad, then the comments are junk as well. Of course.
Thanks again for taking time to let us know.
Hello,
I guess the backwards journos from some outback rag don’t know any better, and yes, if I didn’t know the facts and read the article, I’d jump to conclusions too, it did sound quite funny indeed.
Accidents do happen in the outdoors, especially to people who frequent it as often as Eugene does.