Students rescued in UK cave ordeal

Discuss training events, techniques, equipment, safety and related issues. Click here to visit the National Cave Rescue Commission webpage.

Moderator: Tim White

Students rescued in UK cave ordeal

Postby Wayne Harrison » Jan 18, 2008 5:24 pm

Bradford Telegraph Argus, UK - 26 minutes ago

A group of 11 Skipton college students and two group leaders were rescued from a cave in North Yorkshire after being trapped by fast-flowing water.

Cave rescue services, police, firefighters and ambulance crew were all called to Dow Cave, near Kettlewell, at 3.45pm yesterday to help the students.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said the leaders of the group swam from the cave and raised the alarm at a village store.

It is believed the group were not in any real danger before they were led to safety.

The young people, aged between 16 and 19, are students at Craven College in Skipton.

Principal Alan Blackwell said he would oversee an internal inquiry into the events leading up to the incident.

Full Story

Youths rescued from Dales cave
Yorkshire Post, UK - 3 hours ago

A EMERGENCY operation was launched to rescue a group of youths trapped underground in the Yorkshire Dales.

The group of 13 students and two adults from Craven College were exploring Dow Cave, near Kettlewell, when they became trapped by fast flowing water this afternoon.

Two group leaders swam to safety to raise the alarm at 2.50pm.

Fell rescue, fire crews and the police were involved in the rescue operation, as well as the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Dow Cave is a popular destination for potholing and youth clubs.

Link
User avatar
Wayne Harrison
NSS Hall Of Fame Poster
 
Posts: 2382
Joined: Aug 30, 2005 5:29 pm
Location: Pine, Colorado
NSS #: 18689 FE
Primary Grotto Affiliation: unaffiliated
  

Re: Students rescued in UK cave ordeal

Postby nordicjw » Jan 18, 2008 6:21 pm

While the outcome is the one that would be hoped for, I end up with alot of questions not answered by the stories.

First thought was, don't they check weather before entering flood prone caves?
How far were they into the cave?
Why would both leaders leave the students? I'm aware and agree with the pratice of sending at least two people for help.
Was this because they were "students" aged 16-19? Responsible enough to be left alone , but none of them to assist in
obtaining help.
How far was this swim? How deep the water?
How qualified were the "leaders"? Equipment ? Prior kowledge of the cave?
Was help necessary because of "students" or could this have been a self rescue or simply a matter of waiting? How
did the rescuers remove the students from the cave is they didn't swim?
Were there 11 students and two leaders, 13 students and two leaders, or ? :question: :question:
nordicjw
Frequent Poster
 
Posts: 67
Joined: Sep 5, 2005 7:07 am
Location: new york
NSS #: 56861
Primary Grotto Affiliation: ccg
  

Re: Students rescued in UK cave ordeal

Postby Wayne Harrison » Jan 18, 2008 7:37 pm

Apparently it's been raining all week there, according to a post in the UK Caving Forum...

http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,5620.0.html

As one poster put it:

The ground is saturated and both the river and the becks are in full spate, sometimes overflowing their banks. It didn't require any revision of the risk assessment criteria to know not to go underground in active stream caves today.


The posted a link to the UK version of the BBC, which has a link to a video update done when the cavers were stuck.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nort ... 196965.stm

The Cave Rescue Organisation may post something, but nothing as yet:

http://www.cro.org.uk/incidents_2008
User avatar
Wayne Harrison
NSS Hall Of Fame Poster
 
Posts: 2382
Joined: Aug 30, 2005 5:29 pm
Location: Pine, Colorado
NSS #: 18689 FE
Primary Grotto Affiliation: unaffiliated
  

Re: Students rescued in UK cave ordeal

Postby paul » Jan 22, 2008 2:20 pm

Wayne Harrison wrote:Apparently it's been raining all week there, according to a post in the UK Caving Forum...

http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,5620.0.html

As one poster put it:

The ground is saturated and both the river and the becks are in full spate, sometimes overflowing their banks. It didn't require any revision of the risk assessment criteria to know not to go underground in active stream caves today.


The posted a link to the UK version of the BBC, which has a link to a video update done when the cavers were stuck.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nort ... 196965.stm

The Cave Rescue Organisation may post something, but nothing as yet:

http://www.cro.org.uk/incidents_2008


Actually the call-out was handled by the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association as opposed to the CRO - they cover neighbouring areas of the Yorkshire Dales, covering both Cave and Mountain Rescue. See the UWFRA's website. It hasn't much detail - bear in mind Cave and Mountain Rescue is carried out by volunteers in the UK! :)

It appears that the incident wasn't quite as sensational as reported in the media (what a surprise) - see this thread on UKCaving.com for more information, including a report from someone who was there. Dow Cave is an active resurgence popular with beginners and it appears that the conditions weren't that desperate.... the trip leaders seemed to ask for help early in case it was needed rather then wait until it was definitely needed.
paul
NSS Hall Of Fame Poster
 
Posts: 513
Joined: Dec 9, 2005 7:46 am
Location: Peak District, UK
Name: Paul Lydon
  


Return to Cave Rescue Techniques Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

cron