AUSTRALIA, Nov 24: A dramatic, hours-long rescue operation in Australia resulted in the amputation of a kayaker’s leg after he became trapped between rocks in the Franklin River on Saturday, local police reported.

The man, a foreign tourist in his 60s, was airlifted to a hospital in Hobart, Tasmania’s state capital, where he remains in critical condition. Authorities are working to contact his family.

The incident began around 2:30 p.m. on Friday when the man got stuck while kayaking with a group through rapids on the Franklin River, police said in a statement.

Rescue teams were alerted via the man’s smartwatch and immediately dispatched, though the remote location of the river made the operation particularly difficult.

The Franklin River, located in the rugged Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, is a popular destination for kayaking and rafting, stretching 129 kilometers (80 miles) across Tasmania.

Rescuers made several attempts to free the man between Friday evening and Saturday morning. However, as his condition worsened after hours of being partially submerged in water, a decision was made, in consultation with the man, to amputate his leg.

“This was an extremely challenging and technical rescue operation, and an incredible effort to save the man’s life over many hours,” said Acting Assistant Commissioner Doug Oosterloo of Tasmania Police.

Oosterloo expressed his gratitude to the responders involved, stating, “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this operation under the most difficult circumstances.”