Back fracture, pulmonary and intestinal contusions… a man from Gard miraculously survives a 200-metre fall in the Pyrenees

An amateur mountaineer has survived a 200-metre fall while climbing the Pic d'Aneto, the highest point in the Pyrenees.

Michel Rognon, a 35-year-old amateur mountaineer and sports coach from Gard, survived a dizzying fall of 200 meters while climbing the Aneto peak, the highest point in the Pyrenees, located in Spain at an altitude of approximately 3,400 meters, reports Ici Gard Lozère.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

The accident happened when the athlete tried to catch his jacket. He tripped, slipped and fell on a glacier in the massif. “At that moment, I realized that it was dramatic. I was falling, I was falling, I couldn't stop. I picked up speed, I started to spin around, I hit my head hard. I told myself that the next impact would be fatal”, he told the local radio station.

Serious injuries

Despite serious injuries, Michel Rognon managed to reach a nearby refuge on foot, where he was taken care of before being airlifted to Montpellier University Hospital. The diagnosis is: back fracture, pulmonary and intestinal contusions, as well as four stitches.

He spends two days in the hospital before returning to his parents in Aigues-Mortes. His convalescence will last a month. “I see things differently today”, he says.

Far from being discouraged, the mountaineer is already planning his next expedition: the ascent of Mont Blanc in the summer of 2025.

Other tragedies in the Pyrenees

Furthermore, on January 1, two hikers died after falling 300 meters near the Pic de Cagire, on the French side of the Pyrenees. The use of unsuitable equipment could be the cause.