Four U. Texas students missing at Airman’s Cave in Austin

[daniel f aleman]

(The reason for posting this report here is that rescuers believe the cavers may have entered the water-filled areas.)

AUSTIN -- KTBC Television

Austin Travis County EMS and AFD Special operations are at the scene of an ongoing cave rescue at Airman’s Cave near Barton Creek at South Lamar. A concerned acquaintance of one of the four cavers called 911 at 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning to report that hey had not returned at midnight as expected.

Authorities say the four missing cavers, three women and one man, are college students. The cavers planned on trekking to the far end of the complex, which is a 12 hour round trip for experienced cavers. Evidence at the scene leaves rescuers to believe that the four are still somewhere in the elaborate cave complex.

The cave is primarily used by experienced cavers. The underground cave complex is approximately 1 1/2 miles in length and consists of only small crawl spaces. Authorities say it could take several hours to complete the search.

Shortly after 10:00 a.m. EMS officials said that they had enlisted the help of experienced local cave divers. Rescuers had made it approximately 5,000 feet into the cave.

 

[ianr33]

Does Airmans have any submerged passage in it?? I have never seen or heard of any.
Would be a bunch of fun getting cave gear through the entry tunnel !

 

[Debraw]

Texas cave explorers found - CNN.com

(CNN) -- Authorities in Austin, Texas, have found three cave explorers missing since Saturday in the city's popular Airmen's Cave, the Austin Fire Department said.

A rescuer at the entrance to Airmen's Cave in Austin, Texas, Sunday.

Initially it was reported that rescuers were looking for four explorers. There were only three, officials said.
The University of Texas students are "in good condition," said Lt. Matt Cox of the Austin Fire Department.
They were found in an area of the cave called Karen's Crawl. It will take several hours to get them out, the officials said.
They were reported missing Sunday at about 5 a.m. (6 a.m. ET) by a friend who called 911, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Their names have not been released.
They left at noon Saturday and asked friends to call for help if they had not returned by midnight, Cox said.
Airmen's Cave is 12,000 foot long complex comprising tight twists and turns. It's used primarily by experienced explorers. It can take 12 hours to get through. Its "keyhole" entrance measures less than 18 inches in diameter, and it's impossible to stand up inside the cave, forcing explorers to crawl on their hands and knees.
Rescuers were chiefly worried that the three may have gotten tired, cold and disoriented.
It's 68 degrees inside the cave. That may seem like a a comfortable temperature initially, but a climate like that over 24 hours can feel chilly, Cox said earlier Sunday.

"Imagine crawling on your hands and knees for six hours," he told CNN on Sunday. "At some point, you get hypothermia and you can get disoriented."
EMS rescue workers and the Austin Fire Department searched with the help of local caving groups.E-mail to a friend

All About Austin (Texas)

 

[ianr33]

I like this bit
<<Some rescuers initially sent into the cave had to leave because they were too big to enter it.>>

From MyFox Austin | Missing UT Students Found Alive in Cave

Not a place for those fond of donuts! There is no way a set of doubles would go through the entry passage.

I still do not believe there are any submerged passages.

 

[Willie]

Not a place for those fond of donuts!

I havn't eaten any donuts in a long time. But you wouldnt catch me in there even if I would fit! :no

Glad they found them. It will be interesting hearing the follow-up reports.

Willie

 

[Jim Ernst]

You couldn't get me into that cave for any amount of money!!!

I think caves are cool but even cooler with me on the outside!!

I looked at the pictures of this cave on the link you guy's posted..... NO FRIGGING WAY IN HELL !!!

Good thing I wasn't one of the rescue medics, I wouldn't have gone in that thing!!

 

[LVX]

Ian, I have been in that cave and no, there are no submerged passages. It is very, very tight and more than a little frightening at times. We did not go all the way through. We found a area that was a little bigger after only going through a few hundred yards and turned about. It was not for me....

 

[ianr33]

Ian, I have been in that cave and no, there are no submerged passages. It is very, very tight and more than a little frightening at times. We did not go all the way through. We found a area that was a little bigger after only going through a few hundred yards and turned about. It was not for me....

Ya Weenie! I have been about an hour into it a couple of times. One of those Must Do's if you live in Austin !

The entrance is not so bad if you breathe out.If I breathe in I jam solid!!

 

[LVX]

Funny thing is, when reading about it online, there is a statement that said if you weigh over 185, don't even bother going in. Since I weigh 188, I thought I would give it a try. I like Whirlpool cave a lot better....

 

[Joe-Diver]

But you wouldnt catch me in there even if I would fit! :no

No doubt...I love caves....but only the kind you can walk through, with developed paths, lights, and the occasional bench to sit on. Wild caves, not my cup-o-tea. I was tempted once though to take the wild tour in Mammoth Cave.