Massive effort underway to rescue injured caver.

Hillside overlying much of the OFD system. Photograph by Linda Wilson
Hillside overlying much of the OFD system. Photograph by Linda Wilson

A massive effort is underway to rescue a caver injured in a fall on Saturday in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (OFD) in South Wales, the deepest and third longest cave system in Britain.

The caver is believed to have fallen on Saturday. A fellow caver initiated the call out, and rescue teams from around the country are now involved, making this one of the largest and most protracted cave rescues in recent years. The latest prediction is that the injured caver will hopefully be brought to the surface this evening (8/11/21) via the top entrance.

Entrance Passage, OFD Top Entrance. Photo: Linda Wilson
Entrance Passage, OFD Top Entrance. Photo: Linda Wilson

South and Mid Wales have called on assistance from other teams. Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association have confirmed on their Facebook page that they have sent a small team, and the Cave Rescue Organisation have confirmed they have sent a contingent of rescuers to assist. Other teams involved include Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation, Midlands Cave Rescue, Mendip Cave Rescue, South East Cave Rescue and Gloucester Cave Rescue Group.

Devon Cave Rescue Organisation have also confirmed they have members at the scene, bringing the total number of teams involved to at least nine.

So far the rescue has taken over 48 hours. The most protracted rescue in Wales until now was in 1980, when a caver broke his leg deep in the Agen Allwedd cave system at Llangattock. The casualty was brought out of the cave after 41 hours. At the time, his survival was attributed to a number of factors, not least of which was the skill and determination of the cavers in the rescue team of the day. The technology then was a lot more basic, but no rescue will ever succeed without human skill and determination, and that is as much the case today as it was 42 years ago.

Update: The injured caver was brought out of Top Entrance just before 8.00 pm on Monday 8th. He was then taken to hospital in Swansea. He has multiple injuries but they are not thought to be life-threatening.