Sunday the 28th JuneDerbyshire Cave Rescue had a sense of deju-vu today when we were called out to two people who had become stuck whilst trying to descend from Thor’s cave. This was remarkably similar to our callout of the 30th May and in both cases our team of volunteers were pleased they could assist with a positive outcome for both those trapped. Once again the team was happy to work alongside Derby Mountain Rescue Team, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue , the police, ambulance personnel and a HART paramedics team.

We were asked to support our colleagues in Edale Mountain Rescue Team on Saturday in freeing a stuck climber, adding our engineering experience and equipment to the mix so we could quickly enact EdaleMRTs ‘Plan B’. With our team members and equipment mere minutes away Edale team members succeeded with ‘Plan A’ and our volunteers were stood down.

The team was called out to an incident at Thor’s cave in the Manifold Valley.A couple had attempted to descend from Thor’s cave to the river however having got some way down they realised their path was too steep and loose to descend but also too tricky to return up. A team of 8 cave rescue volunteers attended along with Derby Mountain Rescue Team and used ropes and harnesses to lower both people down to the path. Also in attendance were Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue and a Hazardous area response team. Fun Fact: Thors Cave features as the cover artwork of The Verves’ first album

Early on Sunday 12th we were asked to assist the Cave Rescue Organisation with an on going search in the Yorkshire Dales for a group of cavers missing on a through trip the day before. Due to the nature of the cave in question several of our ‘smaller’ volunteers were dispatched to assist. CRO had already been searching through the night but this had to be abandoned due to the amount of water around 5AM, Searching resumed a few hours later The missing cavers were found and brought safely back to the surface.

Companions of 2 cavers on a ‘Down and Up’ Titan trip became concerned when they didn’t meet their agreed call out time. Team members were called out at 19:55 Saturday 14th December , the first members underground found two cavers sheltering at the foot of the Titan shaft, where one caver, suffering from cold, tiredness and feeling ill could not negotiate the large pitch due to excessive water. His companion chose to wait with him and once DCRO members arrived was able to prussic out under his own steam, accompanied by a team member. The casualty was placed in a portable shelter and treated by our team doctor whilst simultaneously a haul system was been set up to transfer the stranded caver to the surface consisting of a UK record breaking single haul the full height of the Titan Shaft to the breakthrough window – 128 meters followed by the 46 meters entrance shaft. The casualty reached the surface at 1:30 am Sunday morning. All our team members then exited the cave packed up our equipment packed and began heading home by 3:00 am We would like to add a note of thanks to the cavers companions for sticking around on a stormy night providing any logistical support we may have needed until sufficient team members arrived ( later returning with Biscuits! ) and Tony Seddon who offered us access to any equipment we may have needed from the Starless River mobile caving shop