Cave Rescue

The team were called out at 4:30pm to reports of a caver (m) who had been hit by a falling rock whilst climbing the 80m deep Leviathan pitch in JH, near Castleton. He had suffered head injuries but he was able to complete the climb to the top of the pitch under his own steam. His companion continued to the surface to call DCRO. When the team arrived first aid was administered, the casualty was wrapped against the cold and put in a stretcher.

The team then lowered him down the remaining pitches and through boulder constrictions. Here a further team of twenty volunteers supported by Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team paramedics were waiting to take him out to the surface along over a kilometre of partly flooded cave and mine passages. The surface was reached after an 8 hour rescue involving over 50 cavers. We wish the casualty a speedy recovery!