Climbing anchor mishap led to death of Air Force rescue jumper in Idaho, officials say
Published at
Don Sweeney, Idaho Statesman
BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — A new report says an elite Air Force rescue jumper fell to his death while training in Idaho in October when a climbing anchor broke loose, The Air Force Times reports.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Peter Kraines, 33, of North Carolina, died Oct. 8 after falling during an exercise at the Black Cliffs climbing area near Boise, The Idaho Statesman previously reported.
A report released Wednesday says Kraines fell when a climbing anchor broke loose from the cliff while he took part in a five-person rock-climbing exercise, The Destin Log reported.
RELATED: U.S. Airman killed in training incident in Boise
Kraines had been assisting two climbers rappelling down the cliff when the anchor came loose, “pulling the rope system and Kraines off the top of the cliff,” according to the publication.
Kraines fell more than 50 feet, landing beside his teammates, who could not revive him, The Air Force Times reported.
Kraines, a special tactics pararescueman with the 24th Special Operations Wing who enlisted in the Air Force in 2011, was a military static-line jumper, free-fall jumper and an Air Force combat scuba diver, and was certified as an emergency medical technician, The Idaho Statesman reported.