Specialist vertical climbers have rescued three men who became stuck after climbing Uluru.
After an 11-hour rescue effort the Northern Territory emergency services team reached the men before midnight and were able to get them down to the ground by 3.30am on Tuesday.
It is believed the men, all 23, climbed the 863-metre rock on Monday and got stuck in a gap in the stone after straying off a pathway. Emergency services reported that they were uninjured and had enough water until they were rescued.
Uluru rescue update: Three three men who were stranded on Uluru were safely landed by NTES crew about 3:30am... https://t.co/Z4lEjBZkAn
— NT PFES (@ntpfes) September 19, 2016
Climbing the rock is not banned but the Anangu people who live near Uluru request visitors not to do so.
Earlier this year the former chief minister of the Northern Territory, Adam Giles, came out in support of climbing the rock “with stringent safety conditions and rules enforcing spiritual respect”, saying the benefits would be “obvious”.
The climb is physically demanding and can be dangerous – at least 36 people have lost their lives climbing it.
Comments on social media condemned the climbers for disregarding the advice not to climb and incurring significant costs in the rescue.
Time to outlaw climbing on Uluru. It's dangerous and disrespectful. And seriously steep. And rescues are costly! https://t.co/yYIvEDAKrI
— Myles Morgan (@ImMylesMorgan) September 19, 2016
You know what's easier than climbing Uluru?
— Giovanni Torre (@GiovanniTorre) September 19, 2016
Showing some respect and not climbing Uluru. https://t.co/DogAmrBOb8
