Black Cave, Arizona, April 1995: Thomas Edward Benning goes into a cave he knows, alone, with one electric lamp. Search teams go in several times and do not find him. Twenty months later, three cavers follow a trail of his things down a passage hidden behind a rock. Told from the National Speleological Society's accident report. Content note: this story ends in a death.

The case: Black Cave, Arizona, April 1995 (found 14 December 1996).

In April 1995, Thomas Edward Benning entered Black Cave, Arizona, on a solo trip, with no helmet and one electric miner's lamp. His wife reported him missing the next day. Search teams went into the cave several times. He was found on 14 December 1996 by three cavers: Bill Graff, Elizabeth Robb and Dale Green.

Chapters
0:00 A book of matches
0:37 Alone
1:07 Behind the rock
1:36 Light failure
2:09 The search
2:50 Twenty months later
3:49 Three more trips
4:12 What the record says
4:44 With their map

Sources
NSS, American Caving Accidents 1994–1995 (NSS News, December 1997, pp. 428–429): "April, Black Cave, Arizona: solo caving, lost, light failure, fatality"

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep07.vtt

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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Skunk Cave, north of Cresco, Iowa, Saturday 6 October 2001: an hour into a trip with his father and two friends, teenager Andy Wernimont is wedged in a tight crevice. Rescue units from two states work on the rock with a hammer drill and a hydraulic pump. Twelve hours later, Minnesota cave explorer John Ackerman brings him out. Told from the press account of the rescue.

The case: Skunk Cave, north of Cresco, Iowa, 6 October 2001.

On Saturday 6 October 2001, Andy Wernimont of Byron, Minnesota, entered Skunk Cave, north of Cresco, Iowa, at 10 a.m. with his father and two friends. About an hour later he was wedged in a tight crevice. At 11:15 p.m., twelve hours after he became stuck, cave explorer John Ackerman escorted him to the surface.

Chapters
0:00 Nothing is working
0:38 Ten in the morning
1:07 Two states
1:44 Forty-eight degrees
2:23 The message
3:01 11:15 p.m.
3:17 What the record says
4:03 The same spot

Sources
"Iowa Teen Rescued From Cave - Trapped For 12 hours" (press article, reproduced on the Minnesota Cave Preserve website)
Star Tribune (2018): "Cave explorer discusses dangers of hobby"
Post Bulletin (Rochester, Minnesota): "Byron boy rescued from Iowa cave"

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep08.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Two short cases from the caves of Harrison County, Indiana, both from the National Speleological Society's accident reports. Near Ramsey, around 1975, a rock slide at a cave entrance shuts two teenagers inside, and a whole community turns out to open it. In Parker's Pit Cave, on 25 January 1986, a caver sticks in a passage called the Z-Bend. Nobody dies in this episode.

The case: Harrison County, Indiana: a cave near Ramsey, 1975(?), and Parker's Pit Cave, 25 January 1986.

Near Ramsey, Indiana: the rock slide at the entrance
Three teenagers entered a cave near Ramsey, Indiana, at about 4:30 p.m. About two and a half hours later, as they were leaving, a rock slide trapped two of them in the entrance. By 10 p.m. rescue workers had pierced the wall and the boys crawled to safety unharmed. The NSS report dates it "1975(?)".

Parker's Pit Cave, Indiana: the Z-Bend
On 25 January 1986, four cavers were in Parker's Pit Cave. One came down a 22-foot pit with his rappel device only half rigged and was not injured; on the same trip a caver became stuck in the Z-Bend and was helped through by the cavers ahead and behind.

Chapters
0:00 Two sides of a wall
0:37 Half past four
1:10 The slide
1:28 Everyone who came
1:56 Not enough care
2:30 Parker's Pit
2:52 Whoosh
3:15 The Z-Bend
3:41 What the record says

Sources
NSS, American Caving Accidents 1975, pp. 31–32: "Indiana, unidentified cave, 1975(?)"
NSS, American Caving Accidents 1986 (NSS News, November 1987, p. 394): "Parker's Pit Cave, Indiana, 1-25-86"

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep09.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Ellison's Cave, Georgia, 12 February 2011: a backpack falls into the Warm-Up Pit, a University of Florida student goes down after it on a rope rigged inside a waterfall, and a friend follows him on a second rope. Told from the National Speleological Society's accident report and the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. Content note: this story ends in two deaths.

The case: Ellison's Cave, Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, Georgia, 12 February 2011.

On Saturday 12 February 2011, ten University of Florida students went into Ellison's Cave on Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, Georgia. When a backpack fell into the Warm-Up Pit, Grant Lockenbach went down after it, and Michael Pirie followed on a second rope. The call to 911 was logged at 2:19 p.m. Both men were out of the cave by 8:30 that night.

Chapters
0:00 Two ropes in a waterfall
0:36 The Warm-Up Pit
1:35 The backpack
2:26 Difficulty on rope
3:06 The second rope
3:51 2:19 p.m.
4:26 The rescue
5:20 What the record says
6:20 Both still on

Watch this story, animated, on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTNDWDy8RfM

Sources
NSS, American Caving Accidents 2011–2012 (NSS News, August 2013, pp. 13–14)
Carnegie Hero Fund Commission: Michael Wayne Pirie
Wikipedia: Ellison's Cave

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep04.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Carnegie Cave, Pennsylvania, 9 July 1967: the only way in and out is a tar-lined steel drain pipe under Interstate 81. Two candles left burning inside it set the tar on fire, with three inexperienced cavers still in the cave. One of them crawls out through the flames. The other two stay. Told from the National Speleological Society's accident report and the Shippensburg Fire Department's account. Content note: this story ends in a death.

The case: Carnegie Cave, near Cleversburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 9 July 1967.

On Sunday 9 July 1967, three inexperienced cavers went into Carnegie Cave, near Cleversburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, through its only entrance: a 36-inch, tar-lined drain pipe, 150 feet long, under Interstate 81. Two candles left burning in the pipe set the tar alight. Charles Richter crawled out through the fire. The two who stayed were found safe and brought out at 6:12 p.m. Charles Richter died three days later.

Chapters
0:00 The only way out
0:34 A pipe under the interstate
0:58 Two candles
1:39 Smoke
2:09 Into the pipe
2:44 The two who stayed
3:50 Three days
4:12 What the record says
5:30 Two candles, burning

Watch this story, animated, on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5dI5yss0o

Sources
NSS, American Caving Accidents 1967–1970 (1974), p. 7, "Pennsylvania, Carnegie Cave"
Shippensburg Fire Department history, 2008: the Vigilant Hose Company account of the Carnegie Cave fire
Wikipedia: List of United States caving fatalities

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep05.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Robber Baron Cave, San Antonio, Texas, 8 March 2018: on a school trip led by experienced cavers, a student climbing down a twisting passage called the Hole in the Floor gets stuck at the torso, about 350 feet from the entrance. About 70 people, working in 20-minute shifts, chip away the rock beside her with pneumatic hammers. More than ten hours later, she comes out without an injury. Told from the news reports on the rescue and the San Antonio Fire Department's statements.

The case: Robber Baron Cave, San Antonio, Texas, 8 March 2018.

On 8 March 2018, on a school trip into Robber Baron Cave, San Antonio, Texas, an 18-year-old student got stuck at the torso while climbing down a passage called the Hole in the Floor, about 350 feet from the entrance. The experienced cavers with the group tried for about an hour, then called the San Antonio Fire Department. About 70 people, in 20-minute shifts, widened the hole with pneumatic hammers. She was freed more than ten hours later, without an injury.

Chapters
0:00 Stuck in the rock
0:36 Robber Baron Cave
0:59 The Hole in the Floor
1:25 An hour of trying
1:38 Twenty-minute shifts
2:07 I can move
2:31 What the record says
3:33 About five feet

Sources
KSAT, 9 March 2018: report on the Robber Baron Cave rescue
FireRescue1: San Antonio Fire Department statements on the Robber Baron Cave rescue
CBS News: report on the Robber Baron Cave rescue
KENS5: report on the Robber Baron Cave rescue
News4SA: report on the Robber Baron Cave rescue

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep06.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

The 2018 Thai cave rescue at Tham Luang, a caver pinned for 18 hours in a limestone S-bend, and Nutty Putty Cave in Utah, told in two parts. Three real cave rescues, start to finish. Content note: the Nutty Putty Cave story ends in a death.

The cases: Tham Luang cave, Thailand, June 2018; Nutty Putty Cave, Utah, November 2009.

Tham Luang: the cave accident the whole world watched
On 23 June 2018, 12 boys aged 11 to 16 and their 25-year-old coach, Ekapol Chanthawong, went into Tham Luang cave. A flash flood blocked the only way out. Nine days later, about two and a half miles from the entrance, all 13 were found alive.

Pinned in rock for 18 hours
Pinned in a limestone S-bend, Mark waited while rescuers drilled the passage wider in shifts through the night. After 18 hours without moving, he slid free at a quarter to six in the morning on 8 October.

Nutty Putty Cave, Part 1: headfirst into a 10-inch crack
On 24 November 2009, John Edward Jones pushed into an uncharted passage of Nutty Putty Cave, 400 feet from the entrance and about 100 feet down, and slid headfirst into a fissure only eight inches across at its narrowest.

Nutty Putty Cave, Part 2: the rescue
Inside the rescue: a team of 100 rigging pulleys at every turn, John hanging upside down for hours, and why the cave was sealed for good.

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:21 Tham Luang: the cave accident the whole world watched
4:19 Pinned in rock for 18 hours
7:40 Nutty Putty Cave, Part 1: headfirst into a 10-inch crack
12:28 Nutty Putty Cave, Part 2: the rescue
16:18 Subscribe to Caving Stories

Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaL9cuyAT6I

Watch the original stories on YouTube:
The cave accident the whole world watched
Stuck underground, and nobody knew where
He went headfirst into a 10-inch crack
The worst position you can be in underground

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep01.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Three real stories of cavers stuck in tight cave squeezes. A headfirst crawl through a passage that bent left, dipped, and then bent right. A crack that looked straight from outside and turned 90 degrees a few feet in. And a guide who led 12 people through a narrow gap, then stuck at the hips behind them.

The question-mark passage: headfirst into three bends
Headfirst on the elbows through water-smoothed limestone: uphill, a long curve left, a slope down, then a bend right that asked for the opposite of everything the body was already doing. A few minutes in the passage turned into four hours.

The 90-degree bend nobody could see
From outside it read as a straight tunnel. A few feet in, the crack turned hard right and narrowed exactly where her ribs met the rock. Her friends tried everything before one went out for help, and in a cave that sits at 52°F, the cold became the next danger.

Twelve people on the wrong side of the crack
Richard led a group of 12 sideways through a tight crack, then followed them and stuck at the hips halfway through, the only way out now blocked by his own body. Above ground, Melissa Jones wasn't expecting anyone back for more than three hours.

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:22 The question-mark passage: headfirst into three bends
3:45 The 90-degree bend nobody could see
7:18 Twelve people on the wrong side of the crack
11:06 Subscribe to Caving Stories

Watch the original stories on YouTube:
He was deep inside when the passage moved
The passage she walked straight past
He led 12 people in — and had to get all 12 out

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep02.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
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Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).

Two real caving accidents where the way down was easy and the way back was not. A caver wedged in a wet slot that would not let him climb back out in the winter cold, and a caver braced by his arms alone across a collapsing shaft, above a 35-foot drop.

One pitch too far: the slot that wouldn't let him back up
England squeezed down through a wet slot with gravity doing the work, and turned back at the next drop because he had no partner to secure him. On the way up, the same slot would not let him through. Lewis and Moore pulled on the rope from above, and every tug wedged him tighter as the winter cold set in.

Holding on above a 35-foot drop
When the cave floor gave way, Derek ended up 15 feet down a narrow shaft, braced by his arms alone above a 35-foot drop to the stream. His friends got a rope down to him, but tying it on meant letting go.

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:21 One pitch too far: the slot that wouldn't let him back up
4:19 Holding on above a 35-foot drop
7:30 Subscribe to Caving Stories

Watch the original stories on YouTube:
He went down one pitch too far
Trapped in a tunnel too narrow to turn around

Full transcript:
https://pub-413c1fc5107e439dbec7a1f1c322ed45.r2.dev/transcripts/ep03.vtt

Caving Stories on YouTube:
English
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Portuguese

Follow the show in your podcast app to get each new episode as soon as it is out.

Produced by Caving Stories. Narrated with a synthetic voice (Microsoft en-US-AndrewNeural).