Failed Rescue Leads to Death of Spelunker Trapped in Utah Cave

Elberta, UT (AHN) – A 26-year-old man died Thursday inside a Utah County cave after being stuck for 27 hours in a narrow crevice and rescuers could not pull him out.

The county’s recovery crew will continue recovering the body of John Jones in the Nutty Putty Cave on Friday. Rescuers spent hours Wednesday and Thursday trying to extricate the body but failed. Based on the position of the body and danger to rescuers officials called off the recovery until Friday.

Jones got stuck in a crevice in the cave called Bob’s push at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday. He dies early Thursday morning.

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, rescuers had made headway and lifted Jones 10 feet from where he was trapped. However an anchor holding the ropes detached and sent him back to a tight position 150 feet below the surface.