Injured caver rescued after 54 hours stuck underground
A MAN was rescued from one of Britain’s deepest caves last night after spending more than two days trapped inside.
He was brought out at around 7.45pm following a 50ft plunge and a 54-hour bid to save him at Ogof Ffynnon Ddu in the Brecon Beacons.
The survivor was clapped and cheered by rescuers after being lifted to the surface. He was then helped into a Land Rover and transported down the hillside to a waiting ambulance.
He is described as an experienced caver and had been trapped since around 1pm on Saturday. His injuries are said to be non-life threatening and believed to include a broken jaw, leg, and spinal injuries.
Around 70 volunteers joined in the rescue effort of more than 240 people also including eight cave rescue teams.
They made their way down the mountain to watch as the man, said to be in his 40s, was driven to nearby Swansea’s Morriston Hospital.
Teams of rescuers worked in shifts to bring him to safety but had been unable to airlift him to hospital by helicopter because of the wet and dark conditions.
Peter Francis of South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) said the rescue is the longest in the charity’s caving history.
Peter, 74, added: “We’re very pleased with the progress made. The caver was very unlucky.
“He is an experienced caver and a fit caver. It was a matter of putting his foot in the wrong place.
“He wasn’t in a dangerous part of the cave, it’s just that something moved from underneath him.”
Paul Taylor, another member of SMWCRT, said the man went into the Cwmdoor entrance of the caves before he fell.
The caves, which are located near to Penwyllt, are nearly 1,000ft deep, making them the most cavernous in the UK.
Discovered in 1947, they are also Britain’s third longest cave system, stretching more than 30 miles.