Four Die in Utah Underwater Cave

[FW]

.... They tried to free swim though a 14
foot sump. It appears they were on the way out. All were found in the
water filled 4 foot tall passage...

14x4 tunnel... Maybe it is one of the few situations when solo would be beneficial. It is sad news, i feel sorry for their relatives.

The problem was communication. The second one through didn't know the first didn't make it, same for 3 and 4. They didn't have enough air (breath) to return once they discovered the problem.

[tomhauburn]

After doing some searching, I have found the following:

1. It was not a cave, it was a mine.
2. The victems were not "cavers", just local students.
3. Using candles would have added CO2 to the air, causing blackout.

It is still sad.

I agree with Cindy, I don't do "duck unders" without a regulator handy.

Posted after calling for permission
Tom

Hello Everybody,

I was at the scene in the function of a Rescue Diver. None of the rescuers dove the sump as the distance, conditions, etc. were not known. These kids were not scuba- or free-diving. They were wearing jean cut-offs and T-shirts. They were simply holding their breath and following a guide-line (which had been in place for nobody knows how long) to get to a small cavern where locals had been having parties for nobody knows how long. The cave has a split just prior to the sump that goes off about 150' and is dry throughout. Neither the police nor fire department nor any other government agencies even knew this site existed. It is believed to have been dug out many years ago by a landowner who had a dream that a gold vein was there. A small pure-water spring now exits the cave at about 5 gallons/minute. From the cave entrance you crawled a short distance to a "sump" that is about 15' long and 5' deep. The kids would climb into the water, hold their breath, follow the guide-line, and come out the other side into the cavern where there were candles, etc. placed by previous people. The water is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit and the cavern is typical mountain-cave temp of < 60 f. It is very sad that these 4 died but it has been determined that numerous other kids have almost died as they passed back and forth through the sump. The cave entrance was sealed shut yesterday with rocks and concrete. Interestingly, the oxygen monitor in the cavern behind the sump read 22%, while the same monitor registered 20.5% outside the cave.

Wendell Nope
Utah DPS Dive Team
wnope@utah.gov

[DeWayne]

The real sad part here is that untrained individuals just caused a cave to be sealed off

[bmwcaves]

[
Back when Dry Caves were part of Cavern training, I did Bat Cave in a time of high water...Don't remember the passage (Sidewinder or Serpintine or something like that) name, but it was a LOW crawl alternate route on the left to the Big Room...had to remove the helmet, put it in front, turn your head and hold your breath for about 4 (seemingly endless) feet...gave me the Jeebies...

Norm[/quote]


The paasage you refer to is "The Awful Earful" and it sumps at times of high water. There was a drowing in Bat Cave in a similar passage between the frog pool, around 1988 I beleive. Almost the same situation as Utah kids, 17 to 20 years old, they had been drinking in this case though, and doing the sump back and forth between rooms multiple times. Last kid through on the way out didn't make it, swam up a side passage and that was the end.

Recovery divers brought the body out.

Brian