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Brecon Beacons: Man rescued from cave after two days | Brecon Beacons: Man rescued from cave after two days |
(about 1 hour later) | |
This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
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Rescuers have completed their mission to bring the man to safety | |
A man who was injured while caving in the Brecon Beacons on Saturday has been rescued. | A man who was injured while caving in the Brecon Beacons on Saturday has been rescued. |
After he was lifted to the surface on a stretcher, he was clapped and cheered by rescuers before being taken to a waiting ambulance. | |
South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) said he fell in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system near Penwyllt, Powys. | South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) said he fell in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system near Penwyllt, Powys. |
He has multiple injuries but was said to be in good spirits. | |
Gary Evans, emergency services liaison officer and one of the incident controllers, said: "The casualty's doing remarkably well when you consider how long he's been in the cave, how long he's been in the stretcher, he's doing very well indeed. | |
"He's being assessed at the moment and we'll know more in a short while." | |
About 250 people were involved in the rescue effort. | |
The man, in his 40s, had to be moved on a stretcher by specialist crews working in shifts. | |
Rescuers clapped and cheered when the casualty was finally taken out of the cave system | |
One of the rescuers, Peter 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." | He added: "It's just something moved from under him." |
Live updates: Cave rescue | Live updates: Cave rescue |
Mr Francis said rescuers had brought the man towards the top entrance of the cave and planned on bringing him down and then transporting him by car to hospital. | Mr Francis said rescuers had brought the man towards the top entrance of the cave and planned on bringing him down and then transporting him by car to hospital. |
Foggy and wet conditions in the Brecon Beacons meant an air ambulance helicopter was unable to land. | Foggy and wet conditions in the Brecon Beacons meant an air ambulance helicopter was unable to land. |
This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
Rescuers trying to get an injured man from a cave have had to take the long way out. | |
It is the longest cave rescue undertaken in Wales, as the previous longest was 41 hours, and this operation took more than 53 hours. | |
Another caver, who had been caving with the man, notified police about the incident. | |
The system is about 902ft (275m) at its deepest point. | |
It is the second largest in Wales and one of the deepest in the UK. | |
Some of the cave rescuers are internationally renowned, and some have travelled from as far as North Yorkshire. | |
Some were also involved with the Thai cave rescue in 2018. | Some were also involved with the Thai cave rescue in 2018. |
The caves were discovered by the South Wales Caving Club in 1946, according to Natural Resources Wales, with underground streams and waterfalls. | The caves were discovered by the South Wales Caving Club in 1946, according to Natural Resources Wales, with underground streams and waterfalls. |
They can only be accessed by cavers with a permit from the caving club. | They can only be accessed by cavers with a permit from the caving club. |
The injured man used this entrance to get into the cave system | The injured man used this entrance to get into the cave system |
Involved are Gloucester Cave Rescue Group, Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation, Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation, Mendip Cave Rescue, South East Cave Rescue Organisation, Cave Rescue Organisation, and Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA). | Involved are Gloucester Cave Rescue Group, Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation, Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation, Mendip Cave Rescue, South East Cave Rescue Organisation, Cave Rescue Organisation, and Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA). |
The caving club's website said Ogof Ffynnon Ddu is Britain's third longest cave. | The caving club's website said Ogof Ffynnon Ddu is Britain's third longest cave. |
"The through trip from the top to the bottom entrance remains a classic in the UK, and its approx 61km [31 miles] of passages provide everything from huge chambers, beautiful formations, to yawning chasms and thundering river passages," it said. | "The through trip from the top to the bottom entrance remains a classic in the UK, and its approx 61km [31 miles] of passages provide everything from huge chambers, beautiful formations, to yawning chasms and thundering river passages," it said. |
"The routes through the cave are too numerous to mention." | "The routes through the cave are too numerous to mention." |
It adds: "Be aware that the mainstream and some other parts of the cave are prone to flooding, and in any event a journey down the mainstream is long and cold and wet, so go prepared." | It adds: "Be aware that the mainstream and some other parts of the cave are prone to flooding, and in any event a journey down the mainstream is long and cold and wet, so go prepared." |
Inside the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system | Inside the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system |
Underground controller Julian Carter has done two shifts in the past 10 hours, co-ordinating rescue efforts. | Underground controller Julian Carter has done two shifts in the past 10 hours, co-ordinating rescue efforts. |
While he described it as a "challenging rescue", he said conditions have been generally good with water levels low and the care of the casualty "exemplary". | While he described it as a "challenging rescue", he said conditions have been generally good with water levels low and the care of the casualty "exemplary". |
As the third largest cave in Great Britain, he said people were drawn to its "amazing landscape". | As the third largest cave in Great Britain, he said people were drawn to its "amazing landscape". |
"Some of it is crawling, some horrible, other parts just fabulous, through the active stream ways," he said. | "Some of it is crawling, some horrible, other parts just fabulous, through the active stream ways," he said. |
HEART AND SOUL : Ray Lopes is young, gifted and black; tonight's the night | HEART AND SOUL : Ray Lopes is young, gifted and black; tonight's the night |
TIP NUMBER 7: The families of Aberfan fight for justice | TIP NUMBER 7: The families of Aberfan fight for justice |