| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathers, Arthur | 26 | Male | Not recorded | Not recorded |
At about 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 22, Arthur Cathers (26), William Copeland (27) and Jean Copeland (27) entered Rattling Cave near Newport, Tennessee. They explored for a while and then went back to the 135-foot entrance drop to leave. They found their rope hung up on a ledge, out of reach, and they could not climb up to get it. They sat down and waited, eating some fudge they had with them.
The mother of one of the cavers reported them overdue to the Newport Police Department. Their car was found outside the entrance and they were rescued at about 8 p.m. on Sunday. They had spent some 33 hours in the cave.
Analysis: It sounds like someone found the rope rigged in the cave, pulled it up and then threw it back whereupon it hung up on a ledge above the floor.
33 hrs. The Huntsville Times 12/24/79.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.