A caving group reported that one of their number was on the first pitch (100 ft / 30 m) of Diccan Pot when they heard a bang. When they pulled at the rope, they found that it was taut. Diccan is part of the Long Churn Cave / Alum Pot system and access to the first pitch is by a traverse, meaning that someone standing at the top cannot see down it. Fearing that their team-mate might be suspended on the rope, the group called for help.
The first CRO members to reach the casualty found him lying at the bottom of the pitch and were unable to find any sign of life. With the site recorded for Police purposes, members lifted the man carefully into a stretcher and hauled him to the surface where YAS paramedics confirmed that life was extinct. FATAL
We hope that the caver’s family will find comfort in the fact that he was doing what he enjoyed so much and we regret that we could not have done anything to save him.
Volunteer hours: 170
Our thanks to the University of Leeds for the used of their Pennine Hut as a base.