| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Swearingen IV, John | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
On September 11 a group of cavers were on the way to My Cave on West Point Mountain in Alabama, when they encountered a new entrance, since named "Your Cave." Just inside is a slope with unstable talus. John Van Swearingen IV (38) began climbing down, attempting to clear the slope of loose rock for the safety of those to follow. Suddenly a large (500 lb) boulder moved, momentarily pinning his right hand. The hand was mashed and bloody so the group exited the cave, walked to the vehicle and proceeded to a hospital where the victim displaced numerous "victims" of a civil defense drill.
The entrance areas of caves are often very unstable due to weathering. The victim was certainly correct in trying to clear the slope. Watch out in those virgin caves.
John Van Swearingen IV's hand was pinned and injured by a falling boulder while clearing loose rock in Your Cave.