36-hour rescue operation for cavers in North Yorkshire

Over a 36-hour period, more than 100 volunteers were involved in the complex rescue of three cavers from Dowber Gill Passage. The team would like to extend sincere thanks to everyone who turned out to help.

The Call Out

The North Yorkshire Police contacted the team at 9:00pm on Thursday 2nd October after three experienced cavers were reported overdue. The group had entered Dowber Gill Passage via Providence Pot, aiming to traverse through to Dow Cave.

Given the scale of the search, Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association immediately requested assistance from neighbouring cave rescue teams. Surface communications were quickly established as teams entered the system from both ends to begin the search for the missing party.

Finding the Missing Cavers

At approximately 2:30am on Friday morning, the missing cavers were located below the high-level traverses on the approach to the 60-foot Rift, near the Dow Cave end of the system.

Importantly, it was not flooding or water conditions that caused the incident or delayed the cavers. The three were simply overdue after a long, technical trip through a demanding system.

However, while the search was underway, weather conditions deteriorated significantly. The good weather that had been forecast for their trip passed sooner than expected, and heavy rain began falling on the surface. This caused rising water levels in the system, turning a routine overdue callout into a complex and prolonged rescue operation.

The easiest exit route through to Dow Cave quickly became impassable, forcing rescuers and the cavers to retrace their steps back toward Providence Pot — a far more challenging and time-consuming route.

Weather and Surface Operations

While underground teams progressed through difficult conditions, surface crews endured relentless rain and strong winds. Maintaining communications with the underground teams required continuous operation of Cave Link, a text-based messaging system capable of transmitting through solid rock.

Driving conditions to Hag Dyke also became treacherous as cavers, equipment, and supplies were transported to and from the site using the team’s 4x4 vehicles.

“The weather turned what began as a straightforward overdue call into one of the most demanding rescues we’ve faced in recent years,” said one UWFRA team member. “The teamwork, endurance, and professionalism shown by everyone involved were outstanding.”

The Rescue Effort

Underground teams worked in relays to guide the tired cavers safely back toward Providence Pot. As the beck at the entrance rose alarmingly, team members constructed a temporary dam using plastic sheeting to divert floodwater away from the cave entrance.

3:30pm Friday – The first missing caver emerged and was transported back to Kettlewell.

6:00pm Friday – The remaining two cavers reached Bridge Cavern as rising water made the traverses increasingly difficult.

11:30pm Friday – The cavers reached Stalagmite Corner and split into two groups to speed up progress.

2:30am Saturday – The second caver reached the surface.

4:30am Saturday – The final caver emerged and was stretchered to Hag Dyke for warmth and recovery.

5:40am Saturday – The third caver was transported to hospital via ambulance.

The operation concluded at 7:45am on Saturday, leaving behind a mountain of soaked and muddy equipment to clean, dry and sort for future incidents.

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