A dog named Hailey was rescued after falling 100 feet down an old mine shaft in Mohave County. The 9-year-old heeler was exploring the Van Deeman Mine area with her owner when she slipped and fell, prompting a quick response from the local search and rescue team, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
After the fall, which took place around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Hailey's owner recognized the potential danger of the decrepit wooden ladder inside the mine and wisely reached out for help. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue devised a twin-tensioned technical rope rescue system. Lowering a rescuer into the dark shaft, they fastened Hailey into a harness and carefully hoisted both the dog and team member back to safety.
Miraculously, Hailey emerged from the ordeal unscathed. "Search and Rescue responded and configured a technical rope rescue system with a twin-tensioned line for safe lowering and raising," detailed the sheriff's office in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. Both the resolute dog and the rescue team sustained no injuries during the operation, marking a fortunate end to what could have been a tragic event.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the dangers of the state's numerous abandoned mines. Bobbie Scopa, a veteran firefighter with 45 years of experience in Arizona, warns of the risks that these mine shafts pose, not just to the public, but also to first responders. "The nearly falling into one has happened numerous times," Scopa told AZFamily. Addressing the inherent dangers, she recalls responding to an incident where two young boys had fallen 30 to 40 feet into a mine, with old timbers breaking their fall and preventing further descent. Scopa's advice is emphatic: "Stay out. Do not go into old mines." Hailey’s rescue is a strong reminder of the hidden dangers around old mines—there are about 200,000 abandoned ones in Arizona.
