Buried under the snow for three terrifying minutes

A mother on a survival challenge in the Arctic wilderness had a lucky escape last week when a snow-hole she was digging suddenly caved in, leaving her trapped under one metre of compact snow.

Miriam Gauci, 47, was tunnelling inside the snow hole with an ice axe to carefully carve a domed ceiling, when it gave way.

Ms Gauci said she could still hear the horrible noise the ice structure, which was to fit 20 people for the night, made when it came crashing down on her.

“There was this horrible loud noise, and suddenly I was in a lot of pain. I was trapped under one metre of heavy, compact snow. I couldn’t move,” she told The Sunday Times.

Her saving grace came in the way she fell: “There was an air pocket by the side of my face. At least I could breathe… and scream. I screamed my head off, really.”

Outside, no one heard her cries, but after a snap headcount, fellow participants realised Ms Gauci was trapped and began a frantic search for her, some even shovelling the snow with their bare hands.

Winston Pirotta, 37, another challenge participant, had got out of the snow-hole a minute earlier: “I had just finished my carving shift and was making my way towards the fire to warm up, when I heard a thundering noise and cries of ‘Collapse! Collapse!’ we all rushed, in shock, on site.

Even now, when, I recall the accident I still get a cold sweat.”

David Schembri, 24, part of the expedition team, was at the other entrance of the snow hole when the accident happened: “I think for the first 15 seconds we were shocked to the roots. Those seconds felt like an hour – but then we quickly gathered our wits and took on rescue roles.”

Apart from Ms Gauci, there were two other people in the snow hole: Maria Vella Galea was literally blasted out of the tunnel and on impact hurt her face.

Martin Farrugia was closer to the entrance and only his legs were trapped.

Although they roughly knew Ms Gauci’s location, the rescuers couldn’t use spades for fear of hurting her. In total, she was trapped under the snow for about three minutes.

“They lasted an eternity, but I was convinced I would get out of there,” she said.

The minute they got her out, she was whisked away in a stretcher to the expedition cabin, and placed in front of a fire to warm up, preventing the onset of hypothermia.

She was seen by a paramedic and two doctors on the team and then a taxi ambulance took her to hospital, an hour away.

Ms Gauci got away with bruised and fractured ribs, and got the all-clear to return to the expedition: “My time was not yet up, I guess. My guardian angel was really by my side.”

The reason for the collapse is still unclear, for only a few hours earlier, 20 of them had been jumping up and down on the snow structure to make it more compact.

The team’s Swedish expedition leader said it had never happened before.

The process of building the snow hole – which involves shovelling a snow hill, allowing it to become compact and then digging the inside – takes four days. Inside, it is a relatively warm 0°C when compared with outside temperatures of -25°C.

Ms Gauci was one of the 17 chosen out of 1,000 Maltese applicants to spend a week braving the elements and attempting to survive in the Arctic wilderness, in aid of SPCA Malta. Despite the trauma of the accident, all the participants succeeded in completing the challenge.

“I really don’t want to make a big thing out of this. It’s true it could have gone wrong, but I am here – that’s what counts. I told my boys, ‘you’re not to worry; your mum is here to stay’,” said Ms Gauci.

She has no regrets and is glad to have helped the SPCA Malta in collecting funds for its new premises in Ta’ Qali: “Absolutely no regrets, I just wish more people would be generous and donate much needed funds to ensure better quarters for our four-legged friends,” she said.

Would she consider another adventure? She did not even blink: “I would do it all over again in an instant – I think I’d just give the snow hole a miss!”

Read the full account of the Arctic Circle adventure in tomorrow’s edition of The Times. Donations to the SPCA Malta can be made through www.spcamalta.org or SMS 5061 8199 €4.19 or 5061 9299 €10.49.