No injured cavers recorded.
On Sunday, October 4, 1982, eight cavers (late teens) entered the Lipps Entrance of Organ Cave in West Virginia. They explored into Hell's Fissure for a ways, then returned upstream, wandering into the Maze. At this point, most of their flashlights failed. There were no back-up lights so two of the group took the two still-working lights and continued. This pair proceeded through the Maze, down Skid Row, up Jones Canyon, through The Breezeway, Left-Hand Passage, Handley Room, Handley's Silo and to the Sand Floor Room. Then they returned to the register in the Handley Room to wait for help.
Eventually they were missed, and help was summoned. Sunday night Jerry Kyle was notified and he and two other volunteers entered the cave and quickly located the group of six, in the Maze as they expected. The group had only one working cigarette lighter. One member was diabetic and a bit woozy but was able to exit without assistance, with the others.
The three rescuers searched a bit for the remaining two, then exited and called for more manpower. A bit later, four returned to the Lipps area to continue the search there while four more went in the main commercial entrance to search the Organ-Lipps connection. The latter group soon found the still missing two, who had burned the register for warmth. They were out by 10 a.m. Monday morning.
Additional manpower was standing by to expand the search if necessary. To wander about a cave with inadequate reserves of light until one becomes stranded is extremely thoughtless. Whether one is new to caves or not, it should be obvious that back-up lights are necessary.
Group of eight teenage cavers entered Organ Cave without adequate light reserves, resulting in six becoming stranded in the Maze and two others waiting for help after wandering through various passages.