Alabama police officer Antonio Fanning rescued from Kariijni by strangers

Antonio Fanning knows only too well what it’s like to be in life or death situations.

But little in the US police officer’s career could have prepared him for the terrifying ordeal he faced deep inside one of Australia’s most remote national parks.

Officer Fanning’s holiday adventure in Western Australia’s spectacular Karijini National Park nearly turned deadly for the Alabama school resource officer.

He plunged about eight metres into Joffre Gorge, crashing onto a series of rock ledges before landing face-down in a rocky pool below.

“I thought the ledge was going to stop me, but I kept on going,” the Auburn city police officer recalled. “My momentum kept me going down to the bottom. I don’t remember hitting the water.”

Remarkably, help was close at hand.

Australian traveller Christian Borg had watched in horror as the American tumbled into the gorge.

“I had just seen Antonio crashing down,” Mr Borg said. “He bounced first, then hit this ledge and landed face down in the water unconscious. We just ran over, pulled him out of the water.”

Mr Borg and three fellow hikers sprang into action. They pulled officer Fanning from the water, before administering first aid, while emergency crews rushed to the scene.

A major rescue operation involving Parks and Wildlife rangers, St John WA paramedics and State emergency service volunteers ensued.

Ranger Michael Bones said it was quickly evident that it would take a complex rescue to get officer Fanning out.

Over the next five hours, emergency crews worked tirelessly in rocky and challenging conditions to safely extract the injured tourist.

He suffered a fractured vertebra and wrist, multiple head injuries, and a dislocated finger. He had to be delicately secured to a stretcher before being winched 60 metres up the steep cliff face.

Despite the pain and the long process to get him to safety, rescuers said the veteran police officer remained remarkably calm throughout the ordeal.

“In a state like that, it would be understandable if you were quite agitated and very scared,” Mr Bones said.

“But he did seem to be very composed. Then we found out later that he was a police officer from the US, so I’m sure that probably had something to do with it.”

Mr Bones credited the quick-thinking hikers for springing into action.

“Those young guys played an incredible role and potentially saved this guy’s life by providing first aid and alerting us so we could engage all the appropriate services,” he said.

The ranger also praised the volunteer rescuers who gave up their evening to help a stranger.

“Most of the people involved had already worked a full day,” Mr Bones added. “They’re coming out here and they’re at Joffre Gorge until 10 o’clock at night helping someone that’s got themselves into trouble. It’s fantastic work and a real testament to the people who gave up their time to help someone else.”

After treatment in Australia and a community fundraising effort to help him return home, officer Fanning has made a full recovery and resumed his role at East Samford School in Auburn, Alabama.

Nine months after the dramatic rescue, the grateful officer recorded a heartfelt message for the people who saved his life.

“I want to thank everybody involved in my rescue down in Western Australia,” he said. “From Christian and his friends that found me, got me out of the water, bandaged me up and stayed with me the whole night until I got put into an ambulance.

“I want to thank the park rangers, the emergency personnel, the whole volunteer crew that came out and rescued me that night. I appreciate everybody. Thank you.”

“Thank you, Western Australia.”

For the rescuers who spent hours hauling an injured stranger to safety in the darkness of a remote gorge, seeing officer Fanning back on his feet was the perfect reward.

“It’s obviously such a relief to hear that Antonio has had a successful recovery,” Mr Bones said. “He was extremely lucky in that situation. The outcome speaks for itself.”