6-Eric Establie
Eric Establie was an experienced explorer and professional diver who had been tasked
with mapping the Ardeche Gorges underground tunnel complex. He had worked as a volunteer
rescuer for the SSF for years and knew the safety measures needed to survive his expedition.
It’s not clear what happened during his inspection, but he stopped all communications
24 hours after entering the cave. John Volanthen and Rick Stanton, two rescue divers, searched
for Establie for eight days. Since there was enough water to allow the explorer to survive
for approximately 15 days, rescuers remained hopeful they would be able to find Establie
alive.
Eventually, his body was found just 2,500 feet away from the cave’s entrance. Establie
had drowned after an unknown accident.
What is it?
Caving, spelunking, or potholing is a recreational activity involving the exploration of caves.
The scientific approach to this practice is known as speleology. Depending on the characteristics
of the cave being explored, this activity can be categorized as an extreme sport, and
great risks are assumed by those who engage in it. The term’s derived from the Latin
caverna, which is simply translated as “cave”. One of the first caving clubs in the world,
Yorkshire Ramblers' Club, was created in 1892. Must-have equipment that cavers should take
on any expedition includes a hard hat, LED lights, batteries, thick and resistant clothing,
caving boots and gloves, food sources, and of course, a first kit aid. Other essentials,
such as wetsuits, might be required depending on the type of cave.
5-Simon Halliday
While searching for a missing caver, a team of over 40 rescuers discovered the drowned
corpse of 49-year-old Simon Halliday. He’d been exploring a Lancaster cave when he got
caught in the underground network. His disappearance wasn’t reported, and so no attempts to save
him were made. Pure chance led the rescue team to finding his corpse at Lancaster Hole
in Cumbria.
The body was found trapped in a submerged passage, 196 feet underwater. That would be
the equivalent of falling from the top of The Leaning Tower of Pisa. The missing explorer
was pronounced dead on the spot. No foul play was suspected, and the body was returned to
his grieving relatives.
Where is it located?
This activity can be practiced in any country in the world with varied types of ecosystems
and climate, depending on the region. The deepest caves in the world are the Veryovkina
Cave and the Krubera-Voronja Cave, both located in Georgia. Horizontally, they measure 1.37
and 1.36 miles, respectively. To put things into perspective, that’s as long as the
total race span of the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, the longest cave system worldwide is the Mammoth
Cave, located in Kentucky. It measures 405 miles thanks to the many connecting limestone
tunnels that create a massive network. There are several locations that are partially flooded,
depending on the time of the year. When these areas are explored, and the participant spends
time underwater, it's considered cave diving. This adds the risk of the underground water
level rising due to different factors, such as heavy rain. In some countries, the onset
of the monsoon season means that many caves can’t be explored for several months at
a time.
4-Lukas Cavar
Indiana student, Lukas Cavar, participated in an expedition with his college spelunking
club and, at first, everything went according to plan. However, after getting separated
from the group, he found himself all alone in an unknown environment. The group left
soon after, without noticing he was missing, and locked the entrance gate. When the student
realized he was stuck inside, he attempted to cry for help, but the area was deserted.
He couldn’t pull up the iron bars of the gate as they were welded to a concrete base
surrounding the hole. For three days, Cavar managed to survive by licking water off the
walls. He typed in notes for his friends and family to read in case he wasn’t rescued
in time. Cavar had no signal and couldn’t call for help.
When he missed a physics class the following Monday, his friends noticed something was
wrong. Cavar didn’t show up to work either, and so they decided to contact the caving
club.
That was when rescuers rushed to the site and opened the gate. Cavar was weak but healthy
and quickly devoured the meal club members had brought for him, a Big Mac and a bowl
of pasta. He made a full recovery but told the media he wouldn’t participate in any
further expeditions.
How will it kill you?
The risks of caving depend on the characteristics of the cave and the experience of the people
exploring the area. Absence of light, water hazards, and tight spots make caves naturally
risky spots to visit. Dangerous animals might dwell under the surface, and a wrong move
might lead to severe injuries and death. The most common risks are slipping, rocks falling
from the ceiling, wild animals, getting lost in the dark, or getting caught in a tight
spot. Hypothermia, broken limbs, physical exhaustion, and drowning are typical outcomes.
Contracting fungal infections that lead to pneumonia or drinking infected water that
can significantly affect the caver’s health are also possibilities. If stuck, it might
become impossible to either get help or get rescued even when professional emergency teams
are called to the site. Dismemberment and death are the worse-case scenarios when exploring
caves, whether for scientific or recreational interest.
3-Tham Luan Nang Non cave rescue
Back in 2018, a Thai junior soccer team got trapped in the Tham Luan Nang Non cave, during
an expedition with their 25-year-old coach. A sudden storm had caught them by surprise,
and kept them from resurfacing. For over a week, no contact was achieved between the
outside world and the children. Eventually, divers John Volanthen and Richard Stanton
found them all alive, 2.5 miles from the cave’s entrance. Many plans were outlined, but with
a monsoon storm approaching, time was of the essence. More than 10,000 people from all
over the world joined the rescue efforts. Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL was one
of the volunteers in charge of delivering air supplies to the group. Kunan, unfortunately,
got asphyxiated on his way back to the surface. The media was initially led to believe that
diving lessons were given to the soccer team and that they’d remain conscious throughout
the entire process. Though it was considered as an alternative, rescuers were worried the
children would panic during the journey.
They were instead administered surgical anesthesia. Since the drug doses lasted only 45 minutes,
they were re-sedated during their 3-hour journeys. This was kept a secret to avoid concerning
the victim’s families and the international media. The process was so slow and arduous
as it took almost three days to extract the children and their coach. The team spent weeks
in the hospital, slowly being rehabilitated to return to their normal lives. They all
managed to make a full recovery.
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How to survive?
If inexperienced in caving, it’s key to wear all the necessary protective gear and
follow instructions. Knowing the area that will be explored is important, as it might
be hard to find your way out if you become lost. Always make sure you let someone know
where you’re going and when you’re supposed to be back. This will allow rescue groups
to be informed of your disappearance earlier rather than later should an accident happen.
Depending on the climate, different types of clothes should be worn. Wearing the wrong
kind of equipment might lead to hypothermia, overheating, falling and contracting different
infections. Checking the weather and probability of floods can be the difference between life
and death, as rainwater can pool underground with surprising speed. This has caused many
explorers to be caught unprepared and unable to resurface due to cut-off passages. Unless
fully experienced, always hire a guide or professional caver. Going in groups is better
than attempting this activity alone, as it might prove difficult to search for help if
wounded. When caving with others, yell “rock” for falling objects, even if it’s not an
actual rock. It saves time and allows others to react rapidly.
2-Harry Hesketh
Harry Hesketh was 74-year-old when he decided to take part in a 3-man expedition of Curtain
Pot. Despite his advanced age, he had a passion for this activity, and was described by his
family as “a caver till the end”. While exploring the cave, Hesketh lost control of
his rope. The cave was dark and his companions didn’t understand what had happened until
they heard a thud and Hesketh’s groans of pain. He’d fallen 20 feet down a narrow
passage. The drop left him badly injured, and he’d suffered a broken femur. This rendered
the caver unable to climb back up. One of the members in the expedition stayed with
him, while the third rushed to get help. More than 100 people participated in the rescue
attempt, and the operation lasted over 17 hours. A volunteer described it as the most
difficult extraction he’d ever participated in.
The cave’s passages, however, were too narrow and kept the rescuers from working simultaneously.
They attempted several different plans to save Hesketh, but none seemed to work within
the limited space available. The 74-year-old adventurer’s condition gradually deteriorated
and he soon became unresponsive. By the time he was resurfaced, it was already too late.
Hesketh perished from his injuries and was declared dead on
the scene.
1-John Edward Jones
John Edward Jones was an experienced caver who’d decided to explore the Nutty Putty
Cave, located west of Utah Lake. Though he encountered incredibly narrow passages, Jones
kept moving forward. Much to his horror, he found himself stuck face-down in a crevice
he could not squirm out of. Moving back was not an option, so he attempted to push ahead,
breathing in to give him space to wiggle himself free. Unfortunately, when he breathed out,
Jones became fully stuck and unable to move. A rescue team arrived soon after, and at first,
it seemed like they’d be able to free Jones. But when the pulley system failed, the trapped
man’s situation became even more complicated. Jones was given food and water as well as
anti-anxiety medication to keep him calm. His condition kept deteriorating, with little
room to breathe and blood rushing to his head. Rescuers remained with him for 27 hours, but
all attempts to save Jones’ life were fruitless. He died of cardiac arrest on November 24,
2009. It was deemed that retrieving his body was too dangerous, and so the cave was permanently
sealed, with John Edward Jones’ body buried inside.
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