Cavers safe after 30-hour rescue during Storm Amy in Wharfedale

During Storm Amy, three men were brought to security after a cave rescue that lasted more than 30 hours in “terrible conditions”.

Experienced hosts were stranded in the challenging Dowber Gill passage near North Yorkshire, Grassington.

The alarm rose at 22:00 when one of their wives were called the police.

Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, worsening air, floods, rough land and underground long hours of “long and difficult” recovery “more than 100 volunteers participated in the rescue, he said.

When the men were in the early hours of Friday, the rising water levels meant that the simplest way of exit was impassable, which forced the rescuers and consequences to withdraw their steps.

Recovery team leader Derek Hammond announced that if he had reached men only one or two hours ago, they would all be “at home for breakfast”.

“Unfortunately, the weather had a different plan for us,” he said.

“Emergency danger water and potentially drown in certain parts of the cave.

“If the water level had increased in these places, it would be extremely dangerous.”

Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team, Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organization, Royal Air Force Mountain Recovery Service and Swaledale Mountain Rescue team, including neighboring cave teams were called for help.

Underground teams, while working in the relay to guide exhausted protectors, surface teams endured the “terrible” atmosphere to maintain communication and manage logistics.

At one point, team members built a dam using plastic coating to carry the rising flood beyond the entrance of the cave. Travers lines were established to help people have to walk around.

The first lost cave was brought to security at 15:30 on Friday, the second at 02:30 on Saturday and the third two hours later.

None of them were injured, but Mr. Hammond said they were exhausted after being cold and wet for 42 hours.

“Get rid of it is a strong man,” he said.

The team finally stopped at 07:45.

While Storm Amy is expected to come into force on Friday afternoon, Hammond said that the expedition planned by men was “perfect reasonable”, given the experiences and weather conditions on Thursday.

However, the heavy rain arrived earlier and more intense than expected.

Before the men set off, they shared the basic details of the routes from the provision Pot to Dow cave, and Mr. Hammond said, “Saved the day.”

“If there was no phone call from his wife, he wouldn’t know that these men were delayed until he saw cars parked for a few days.”