Iceaxe
02-15-2011, 03:26 PM
2 University of Florida students die after getting trapped in cave during trip in Georgia mountains
BY Philip Caulfield
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, February 14th 2011, 4:51 PM
WESH Orlando
Michael Pirie, left, and Grant Lockenbach died on Saturday after they became stuck in a cave while trying to retrieve a bag someone dropped down a 120-foot hole in Ellison's Cave in northwest Georgia.
Two University of Florida students died over the weekend after they became trapped under a waterfall during a caving trip in the mountains of north Georgia.
Authorities in Walker County, Ga., said the two friends, Michael Pirie, 18, and Grant Lockenbach, 20, apparently died of hypothermia.
Rescuers worked for more than eight hours on Saturday to retrieve their bodies, which were still dangling from rappelling ropes they were using.
Pirie and Lockenbach were among 10 students from the university's Fellowship of Christian Athletes group who took the spelunking trip to Ellison's Cave, a 600-foot deep cavern located in Pigeon Mountain in northwest Georgia.
Rescuers said Lockenbach initially got stuck after rappelling down a 120-foot hole to retrieve a duffel bag that was accidentally dropped.
After he began calling for help, Pirie went after him and also became stuck, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The trapped men were able to communicate with their friends above for about 45 minutes before their voices grew faint and eventually faded away, rescuers said.
Authorities were awaiting autopsy reports, but said they believe the men froze to death in the frigid water that was pouring into the hole.
Local rescuers said the group had been caving during the day, but were under-equipped and ill-prepared for the trip.
Pirie and Lockenbach, along with several others, were wearing T-shirts and shorts, which were unlikely to keep them warm enough in a cave where the temperature is usually between 50 and 60 degrees, and the waterfalls are fed by melting snow.
"Ellison's is not a place for inexperienced, it
BY Philip Caulfield
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, February 14th 2011, 4:51 PM
WESH Orlando
Michael Pirie, left, and Grant Lockenbach died on Saturday after they became stuck in a cave while trying to retrieve a bag someone dropped down a 120-foot hole in Ellison's Cave in northwest Georgia.
Two University of Florida students died over the weekend after they became trapped under a waterfall during a caving trip in the mountains of north Georgia.
Authorities in Walker County, Ga., said the two friends, Michael Pirie, 18, and Grant Lockenbach, 20, apparently died of hypothermia.
Rescuers worked for more than eight hours on Saturday to retrieve their bodies, which were still dangling from rappelling ropes they were using.
Pirie and Lockenbach were among 10 students from the university's Fellowship of Christian Athletes group who took the spelunking trip to Ellison's Cave, a 600-foot deep cavern located in Pigeon Mountain in northwest Georgia.
Rescuers said Lockenbach initially got stuck after rappelling down a 120-foot hole to retrieve a duffel bag that was accidentally dropped.
After he began calling for help, Pirie went after him and also became stuck, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The trapped men were able to communicate with their friends above for about 45 minutes before their voices grew faint and eventually faded away, rescuers said.
Authorities were awaiting autopsy reports, but said they believe the men froze to death in the frigid water that was pouring into the hole.
Local rescuers said the group had been caving during the day, but were under-equipped and ill-prepared for the trip.
Pirie and Lockenbach, along with several others, were wearing T-shirts and shorts, which were unlikely to keep them warm enough in a cave where the temperature is usually between 50 and 60 degrees, and the waterfalls are fed by melting snow.
"Ellison's is not a place for inexperienced, it