Numerous reports from the US confirm that Josh Bratchley returned to the surface safe and well around 7pm local time last night after being trapped in Mill Pond Cave near Nashville in Tennessee for over 24 hours. Josh was part of five-man team exploring the cave when he failed to return to the surface on…
Yorkshire Ambulance Service asked for assistance, following receipt of a 999 call saying that a walker had fallen and had been feeling dizzy, on the path from Gordale Bridge over to Malham Cove. When the CRO duty controller called the Emergency Operati…
Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation are this week celebrating after receiving more than £30,000-worth of life-saving gas detection equipment donated by Honeywell Analytics. The equipment, including four and five gas personal monitors and calibration equipment, was donated when DCRO’s equipment officer, Pete Dell, contacted them trying to source replacement sensors for their old equipment and the…
Two Three Peaks walkers (m, 21; f, 21) became detached from a much larger sponsored walk group and, without a map, took the wrong route off Ingleborough. Before the daylight was lost completely, they phoned North Yorkshire Police, who contacted CRO. Th…
Yorkshire Ambulance Service received a call, saying that a walker (m, 45) was fitting ‘on top of Pen y ghent’. YAS deployed both road and air ambulances, calling CRO as an added precaution. From home, the duty controller could see that the …
While trying to take a photograph from the top of a limestone outcrop, on the path from Brackenbottom to Pen y ghent, a walker (m, 13) fell on to rocks, below, sustaining chest injuries (t.b.c.). After attention from a YAS paramedic, it was agreed that…
A Three Peaks walker (m, 45?) rang an acquaintance in Horton, to say that he had taken a fall while descending from Ingleborough and was bleeding significantly from a head-wound. The acquaintance rang Yorkshire Ambulance Service, whose dispatcher, unab…
A climber (m, 55) suffered a medical event, fell from the crux of his climb and was left suspended, semi-conscious, in his harness on a narrow ledge. CRO members were able to lower him off so that YAS paramedics could make a preliminary examination. He…
Two cavers were reported to be ‘trapped’, two hours after entering Roaring Hole, near Southerscales, Ingleton. Ten minutes later they were reported to be on the surface and walking back down to Chapel le Dale, so no further action was requ…
A walker (f 69) slipped and fell on the limestone pavement at the top of Malham Cove. Visibility was very poor due to low cloud and the pavement was extremely slippery. The casualty was located by CRO team members and treated for a suspected lower leg …
Honoured … Rick Stanton, Connor Roe and Chris Jewell (Photos by Linda Wilson) The British divers at the centre of the Thai cave rescue have been recognised in the New Year’s honours list. Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, who reached the stranded boys first, have both been awarded the George Medal, which is the second…
A walker (m, 52) reported himself (and dog) ‘lost in fog and pitch black’, near the Ingleborough summit shelter. He was escorted down to a team vehicle, near Crina Bottom, to be brought off the hill. Avoidable. Volunteer time: 17 hours
A walker (f, 46) slipped on mud, on the path from Lower Winskill down to Langcliffe, hearing a ‘snap’ as she injured an ankle. Having given her pain relief, team members put the patient into an insulated casualty bag then carried and sledge…
A walker on an evening excursion from Settle to Ribblehead became lost after descending from the summit of Pen-y-ghent. During a brief and muffled telephone call, the CRO Duty Controller was only able to establish that the lost person had a fading torc…
A 3-peaks walker slipped on wet rocks just below the summit of Pen-y-ghent. His fall caused an injury to his ankle – a suspected fracture. The injured walker telephoned for help, but also started to make his way down the hill after his ankle was …
When Rick Stanton and John Volanthen surfaced in Chamber 3 of Tham Luang Cave on day 6 of the rescue to find four people waiting for them they first thought they’d somehow found the boys of the trapped Wild Boar team. In fact they’d discovered four lost Thai rescuers who had been trapped by the rising floodwaters. In the chaos of the early days of the rescue the absence of the men had been unreported and so had not been noticed by the Thai authorities and or the outside world. What followed was a dramatic and unparalleled “snatch” rescue mission perfectly conceived and executed as they dived the four men through three sumps to safety.
In the second part of Darkness Below’s interview with BCRC chair Peter Dennis, he tells Linda Wilson and Sharon Wheeler how disaster struck during the preparations for the final rescue dives.
CRO duty controllers were advised that a Three Peaks walker (m, 46), last seen at Ribblehead at 12.00 noon the previous day, had not returned to his car at Horton in Ribblesdale. All local hotels were phoned, in case the missing walker had stayed the …
While the eyes of the world were on the divers taking part in the Thai cave rescue, an unsung band of volunteers were beavering away behind the scenes to ensure that the divers had all the kit and assistance they needed. Peter Dennis, chair of the British Cave Rescue Council, tells the backroom story to Linda Wilson and Sharon Wheeler.
A walker (m,86) with several medical conditions and a history of back trouble was unable to complete the walk because of the pain. Having administered pain relief, team members carried the patient from just below Snow Falls up to Falls Park, at Beezle…
CRO were called to support Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) with an ongoing incident. Two cavers had been reported overdue the previous evening from a traverse of Dowber Gill passage that links Dow Cave with Providence Pot. The overdue …
Descent 263 is now available! If you’re not already got your copy, we hope this short round up will tempt you to subscribe now, so head over to Wildplaces Publishing or if you’re lucky enough to have a caving shop anywhere near you, call in and get a one from them. As we say every…
A visitor reported her elderly parents missing on the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail. Unable to call her back and with the ‘mispers’ having no phone, the duty controller (resident in Ingleton) popped out to look for them. Just as a CRO colleague…
A visitor (m, 32) sustained a fracture to the shoulder, after taking a fall between Manor Bridge and Pecca Falls, on the Waterfalls Trail. Team members immobilised the shoulder, then supported him on the walk down to the main Trail car park. He was ass…
Descent 263 will be out soon so now’s a good time to check if you’re up to date with your subscription! The hard-working folks at Wildplaces will be delighted to welcome you back into the fold if yours has lapsed. Descent will provides news, photos and features both at home and abroad, all stunningly illustrated….
The team were called out by North Yorkshire Police to assist with the recovery of a person with fatal injuries from the foot of the cove. Team members were also tasked to search ledges and other parts of the cove for any items belonging to the deceased…
Following the amazing success of the recent Tham Luang cave in Thailand, one of the British cave rescue teams, responsible for getting some of the UK contingent to Thailand has announced a fund-raising campaign. The South and Mid-Wales Cave Rescue Team hope to reach a target of £1,000. Claire Vivian, the team’s Fund-Raising Officer, has…
With the Thailand cave rescue operations now completed with the 100 % successful evacuation of all casualties and rescue divers, Darkness Below presents some reflections on this incredible “good news” story. Before reading further, however, let us remember Saman Kunan, the Thai volunteer diver portrayed above, who lost his life while preparing the cave for the evacuation operation. There is nothing more noble than this: that someone will risk their life, and be prepared to lose it, in the course of helping to save the life of someone else.
We can now confirm that all twelve of the boys and their coach have been successfully rescued from the cave. As well as one of the largest rescues in history this has been one of the most protracted and technically difficult, yet ultimately successful cave rescues ever undertaken. The success of the rescue mission…
Various contradictory reports are circulating regarding the emergence of two of the boys. Reuters, citing a local official, says that the first two members of the Thai football team have been recovered from the cave. ITV’s John Irvine says that a local police chief has just told him that two of the boys are out…
Overnight an international team of divers entered the cave, beginning the operation to bring the trapped boys and their coach out of the cave. At 10 am local time 18 divers went into the cave to bring out the boys. The rescue team includes 13 international divers and five Thai navy Seals. Sources state that…
Tragic news came from Thailand today of the death of retired Thai Navy Seal Saman Kunan who ran out of air on a dive to stage further air cylinders into the cave. He became unconscious on the return journey from “chamber 3.” Attempts by his companions to revive him, were unsuccessful. His body was taken…
Photo courtesy of Chris Jewell Two more British cave divers, Chris Jewell and Jason Mallinson are joining the ongoing rescue effort in Thailand, along with around 500kg of additional equipment including rebreather sets, drysuits, cylinders, Sofnolime and A clamp adaptors to allow the UK divers to use Thai Navy cyclinders. The two reportedly left…
Attached below is the latest update regarding the British involvement in the Thaiand Cave Rescue. Any press enquiries shoud be directed as detailed in the briefing note. BCRCMediaBriefingReport3_Thaicaverescueincident_020718
It’s probably fair to say that people across the world, not just cavers, are breathing one the largest collective sighs of relief for many years as the regional governor, Narongsak Osottanakorn, breaks the news that twelve boys aged 11 to 16 and their 25 year old coach, all members of the Wild Boar soccer team,…
Breaking news: All 12 boys and their football coach have been found alive after nine days missing in caves in Thailand, the regional governor says. All 13 are safe, the governor confirmed, speaking after a mammoth search operation in the Tham Luang caves in Chiang Rai. More to follow.
In a race against the clock three British cave rescue divers and their equipment left Heathrow just after 9pm last night on a flight to Thailand to join the search for thirteen people trapped in Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province. The British contribution includes four Heyphones supplied by Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation (DCRO), a…
Four cavers had left a note at their caving hostel, giving a call-out time of 19.00, before going to Heron Pot. Although not unduly concerned, the duty controller asked a colleague from Ingleton to investigate. At just after 20.00, he found them emergi…
CRO were called to assist a walker who had collapsed on the summit of Pen-y-Ghent after suffering a cardiac arrest. Despite the hard work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedics at the scene, the outcome was fatal. Volunteer hours 36
Whilst attending to incident 37, CRO was called to an incident at Thornton Force, near Ingleton. A boy, aged 11, had slipped whilst entering the pool at the foot of Thornton Force and hit his head on a submerged rock. He was treated by CRO members, a c…
A walker, who had strayed slightly off the footpath from Catrigg to Stainforth, slipped on a grassy bank and went over on his ankle – reportedly hearing a snap. He was treated for a possible fracture by Yorkshire Ambulance Service paramedics and …
Two cavers were reported to be more than five hours overdue from a through trip between Lost John’s Hole and Notts 2, which they had estimated would take four hours (20.00 Sunday to 00.00 Monday). CRO members began searching in the two pots refer…
North Yorkshire Police asked for CRO’s assistance by searching Yordas Cave and immediate area for a person (m, 50) reported to be missing from home and ‘at risk’. No-one was found, nor was there any evidence that he had been there. Vo…
Two cavers (f, f) were reported to be three hours overdue in Wretched Rabbit, Easegill. Having alerted CRO, other cavers, staying at Bull Pot Farm, went to investigate and found that the two were still underground, unharmed, but moving very slowly …
Five cavers (f, 18 – m,25) were reported overdue in Providence Pot, at 21.29 on Saturday. The afternoon’s rain had melted snow, causing a rapid rise in stream levels. Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association attended and began a search of t…
On the summit of Ingleborough, a paraglider fell about 3 metres when his parachute stalled whilst he was taking off. He suffered a suspected fracture to an ankle. Remarkably, and with the generous help of passing walkers, the injured person had the ten…
The eight men trapped since Sunday in the Hölloch in Switzerland’s Muotathal valley are now free. The Schwyz cantonal police said that the men had left the cave on Thursday night. They are all unhurt, were in good spirits and have returned home. Originally it had been thought that the group of seven tourists and…
Eight men have been trapped in the Hölloch cave in Switzerland’s Muotathal valley since 21 January. They will not be released before this weekend at the earliest due to heavy rainfall. They are unhurt and are currently stuck in a water-tight bivouac. The cavers aged between 25 and 55 had entered the cave system last…
The team were contacted by North Yorkshire Police, and asked to conduct a search of the ground, sinkholes and potholes on Scales Moor, in connection with the search for a missing person. A team member entering Ewes Top Moss Pot discovered the body of a…
A visitor (m,65) collapsed with chest pains, just over half-way along the show cave. After monitoring and treatment by paramedics from Yorkshire Ambulance Service and North West Air Ambulance, he was packaged by CRO members, then carried, by stretcher …
A caver was reported to have sustained serious head and chest injuries in the Main Chamber of Gaping Gill (Cause of injury not yet known to CRO.), but when the duty controller obtained up-to-date information he had been recovered to the surface by pot-hole club winch and was being sheltered in a nearby shake-hole. An air ambulance was able to land close to the casualty, before team members had …
Firefighters and cave rescuers have had to attend Box Mines near Corsham, Wiltshire, twice in three days to assist parties in trouble underground. On 2 July 2017, Corsham Fire and Rescue assisted a group of three who had entered the mines via Back Door entrance and made their way to Jack’s Working entrance where a…
On Saturday 24th June 1967 a strong team of ten cavers led by Dave Adamson entered Mossdale Caverns on a beautiful summers day intending to blast and excavate at the southern end of Mud Caverns. Four of the team exited safely later in the day after a shorter trip but the remaining six continued into…
A farmer reported one of his sheep had fallen down the 20m pitch at the entrance to Calf Holes, and was concerned as water levels appeared to be rising due to the heavy rain. A small team attended to find the stream into the pot in flood. An inspection was made of accessible areas of the pitch, but no sign of the sheep could be found.
Paul Dold’s death last year in a diving accident in Cornwall shocked his many friends in a way only the unexpected death of someone with such a huge appetite for life can. A Justgiving campaign set up in Paul’s memory raised over £7,000 for Horsham District Scouts, Cornwall Air Ambulance and cave rescue, with over…
During incident no 36, a caver (m 60) suffered from chest pains whilst at the foot of Gaping Gill where he was helping to manage winch descents of the cave. He rode to the surface in the winch chair where his condition was assessed and stabilized by a Bradford Pothole Club member and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The casualty was carried by stretcher to the air ambulance that had returned from…
CRO were called to support Bradford Pothole Club (BPC) with the rescue of a young person from Sand Cavern in Gaping Gill. The casualty had descended into the main chamber of Gaping Gill via the BPC winch and was exploring further cave passages with his father when he fell and injured his hip. The casualty was attended to by BPC members and extracted by BPC and CRO from Sand Cavern back to…
Two cavers descended Simpson’s Pot, intent on a ‘pull-through’ trip to Valley Entrance. One (m, 59) was unable to pass the constriction at the bottom of Slit Pot and was unaware of, or unable to climb up to the alternative way on. He remained there, while his companion went out for help. A CRO team went in from Valley Entrance, climbed above the caver and helped him to by-pass the…
CRO were asked by our neighbours, Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, to provide assistance on an incident in their area. Four cavers were reported overdue in Swan Dike Pot, above Pen-y-ghent Gill. Two of the party had made their way out of the cave and reported that one member of the party was stuck beyond a tight section of passage. After several hours of effort, by CRO & UWFRA, the casualty was…
A group of five cavers (m: 36, 30, 30, 26; f, 29) was reported overdue in Long Kin East Pot. An initial investigation was begun, but they reported themselves to be on the surface, safe and well, two hours after their ‘call-out time’. Volunteer hours: 4
