Breaking News: British cave divers also rescued four trapped Thai rescuers in Tham Luang Cave

Breaking News: British cave divers also rescued four trapped Thai rescuers in Tham Luang Cave

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.

Behind the scenes with the BCRC at the Thai cave rescue – Part One

Behind the scenes with the BCRC at the Thai cave rescue – Part One

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.

Appeal: South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team seeks £1,000

Appeal: South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team seeks £1,000

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…

After The Tham Luang Rescue – Taking Stock

After The Tham Luang Rescue – Taking Stock

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.

Thai rescue update – two more British cave divers en route to Tham Luang cave as part of larger team

Thai rescue update – two more British cave divers en route to Tham Luang cave as part of larger team

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…

News: British Cave Divers join Thailand cave rescue

News: British Cave Divers join Thailand cave rescue

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…

Incident 60/2017 – Aug. 14th Mon. 11.38 – Gaping Gill, Clapham, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue.

Incident 60/2017 – Aug. 14th Mon. 11.38 – Gaping Gill, Clapham, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue.

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 …

Incident 40/2017 – June 5th Mon. 17.29 – Calf Holes, Birkwith, North Yorkshire – Animal Rescue

Incident 40/2017 – June 5th Mon. 17.29 – Calf Holes, Birkwith, North Yorkshire – Animal Rescue

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.

News: Generous Gift to SECRO in Memory of the late Paul Dold LRPS

News: Generous Gift to SECRO in Memory of the late Paul Dold LRPS

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…

Incident 37/2017 – May 31st Wed. 15.00 – Gaping Gill, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue

Incident 37/2017 – May 31st Wed. 15.00 – Gaping Gill, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue

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…

Incident 36/2017 – May 31st Wed. 12.03 – Sand Cavern, Gaping Gill, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue

Incident 36/2017 – May 31st Wed. 12.03 – Sand Cavern, Gaping Gill, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue

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…

Incident 29/2017 – May 13th Sat. 16.57 – Simpson’s Pot, West Kingsdale, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue.

Incident 29/2017 – May 13th Sat. 16.57 – Simpson’s Pot, West Kingsdale, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue.

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…

Incident 23/2017 – Apr. 22nd Sat. 21.13 – Swan Dike Pot, Pen-y-ghent Gill, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue.

Incident 23/2017 – Apr. 22nd Sat. 21.13 – Swan Dike Pot, Pen-y-ghent Gill, North Yorkshire – Cave Rescue.

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…

Incident 6/2017 – Jan 21st Sat. 10.15 – Scar Top, nr. Giggleswick, North Yorkshire – Animal Rescue.

Incident 6/2017 – Jan 21st Sat. 10.15 – Scar Top, nr. Giggleswick, North Yorkshire – Animal Rescue.

The team were called by North Yorkshire Police to go to the aid of a sheep which had been crag fast for over 36 hours. The sheep was located on a narrow ledge approximately 10m above ground level. A team member descended by rope to the ledge from above, and the sheep was ‘encouraged’ to retrace its route up a narrow cleft to the field above. Volunteer hours: 4

Incident 86/2016 – Oct. 22nd Sat. 19.24 – Wretched Rabbit, Easegill, Cumbria – Cave Rescue.

Incident 86/2016 – Oct. 22nd Sat. 19.24 – Wretched Rabbit, Easegill, Cumbria – Cave Rescue.

Cumbria Police contacted the team when a caver at Bull Pot Farm reported a caver (m,78) was apparently 2 hours over his due return time from a trip to Wretched Rabbit. The caller confirmed his car was still at Bull Pot. A vehicles and initial party of 6 team members were mobilised, whilst members of Red Rose Caving club went with the ‘grab bag’ (left for such incidents at Bull…

Oct. 11th Tue. 20.28 – Ireby Fell Cavern, Ireby Fell, Lancashire – Alert only.

Oct. 11th Tue. 20.28 – Ireby Fell Cavern, Ireby Fell, Lancashire – Alert only.

Two cavers (m) were reported overdue from a trip to Ireby Fell Cavern, understood to have begun at 1100. As initial inquiries were being made, the whole team were placed on standby, and a team member sent to check whether their car was at the expected parking point. As the team member arrived, he found the two cavers just changing out of caving gear. They had started their trip later…

Incident 81/2016 – Sep. 25th Sun. 15.24 – Peterson Pot, Leck Fell, Lancashire – Cave Rescue.

Incident 81/2016 – Sep. 25th Sun. 15.24 – Peterson Pot, Leck Fell, Lancashire – Cave Rescue.

A caver (m,21) was exhausted at the far side of Roly-poly Passage and was unable to exit the pot. CRO teams entered the top of the system from Peterson Pot and the bottom through Mistral Hole. The caver was found at Skydive Drop and was assisted / escorted to the surface via Mistral Hole at 20.30 hrs. Thanks to the six ‘co-opted cavers’ who assisted the 18 CRO members. Volunteer…

Incident 70/2016 – Aug. 28th Sun. 01.18 – Lancaster Hole, Easegill, Cumbria – Cave Rescue.

Incident 70/2016 – Aug. 28th Sun. 01.18 – Lancaster Hole, Easegill, Cumbria – Cave Rescue.

Three cavers (m, 24; f, 24, m, 24) were reported overdue on a through trip from Top Sink to Lancaster Hole. They had made only slow progress and became lost, eventually deciding to await rescue near Stop Pot. Mixed teams of CRO and Red Rose Cave & Pot-hole Club members began searching the system and located the missing party at about 04.20. All were guided safely to Lancaster Hole, to…