Boy hurt in 4-meter fall at Rotterdam Zoo cave

A 12-year-old boy was hurt on Friday when he fell off a footbridge and landed four meters below in a cave. The accident happened at an old bat cave at the Diergaarde Blijdorp, the zoo in Rotterdam.

Rescuers already at the zoo were able to retrieve the boy. He was in a stable condition, an emergency services spokesperson told Nu.nl. His injuries were not disclosed.

It all happened around 2 p.m. when the boy wanted to give his grandmother a scare at the site. He crept out onto a walkway that is open to the public, and ended up slipping off the footpath.

While the regional safety authority said the fall was from a height of 6 meters, the zoo told Nu.nl it was actually 4 meters.

Animals no longer use the cave.