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Man RESCUED with spinal fracture after spending 54 hours trapped in one of Britain’s largest caves

2021-11-09 00:00:00.0 太阳报-英国新闻原网页

A MAN who spent 54 hours trapped in a cave with horrific injuries has finally been rushed to hospital following a heroic rescue.

The caver was 900ft underground when he fell 50ft from a ledge as he explored the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system under the Brecon Beacons on Saturday.

A man trapped in a 31-mile system of caves has been rescued after 54 hours underground Credit: WNS 6

Beaming rescuers applauded as he was taken to hospital this evening Credit: Huw Evans 6

The heroes mounted an astonishing rescue effort after the casualty plunged 50ft when a boulder toppled deep underground Credit: WNS

The casualty suffered suspected spinal injuries, a fractured leg, a broken breast bone and a shattered collar bone.

He also sustained a broken jaw, mouth injuries and cuts to his neck.

But his horrifying ordeal wasn't over.

Emergency services were initially unable to reach him - and he spent two days in the darkness as 250 rescuers made their way through the caves.

Teams worked in 12-hour shifts during an "arduous and pain-staking" bid to bring him two miles back to safety.

It was revealed this evening that the man, who is from the south of England, has finally reached the surface.

Emotional rescuers applauded as he was loaded into the back of an ambulance at 7.45pm.

The weather in the area has been foggy - meaning an air ambulance wasn't able to land.

HEROIC RESCUE

The astonishing effort began when the casualty fell inside the 31-mile cave system, the longest in the UK.

It's believed a boulder came loose and the man toppled a "considerable distance" from a ledge.

He is believed to have been knocked unconscious for some time. Matters were further complicated by the boulder falling too, it's reported.

Doctors were the first to go into the caves to help after they were alerted by another caver.

They treated the man with strong pain-relief drugs administered via a nasal cannula.

The mission to rescue him was then led by the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team - who previously helped save 12 young Thai footballers and their coach from flooded caves in July 2018.

Peter Francis from the team said the man was in "good spirits".

Speaking before the amazing rescue, Mr Francis said: "He's warm, he's stable.

CAVER'S HORROR INJURIES

"The doctor with him is monitoring him the whole time and we're not worried about him getting hypothermia."

Mr Francis said the man was "an experienced, fit caver" and "it was a matter of putting his foot in the wrong place".

He added: "It's just something moved from under him."

Another rescuer said: “He is extremely lucky to have survived the fall.

"He was unconscious for about a minute and was in hell of a lot of pain when he came around.

“Two of the cave rescuers are accident and emergency consultants so he’s in good hands."

Teams from across the UK travelled to the cave, which can only be accessed by people with a permit from South Wales Caving Club.

APPLAUSE AS AMBULANCE LEAVES

The man fell in the part of the caves known as Cwm Dwr, not far from the entrance.

However, he couldn't be taken back out that way because of his injuries.

Teams had to inch him through another route to reach the surface at a mountain spot called Top Entrance.

One regular caver said: "It's a well-known cave system, very popular with cavers and it is in the middle of a nature reserve.

"It's a really popular cave system, usually recommended for more experienced cavers rather than novices."

Ogof Ffynnon Ddu was discovered in 1946 and is known for its maze-like structure and waterfalls.

It has a depth of 900ft and is at least 31 miles long.

South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team said a fellow caver alerted police before it was called in to initiate a response.