| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford, John | 39 | Male | Sprain | Ankle |
| Vinzant, Lynn | 21 | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Ohman, Roger | 20 | Male | Not recorded | Not recorded |
On 1 August a party of three, John Rutherford (39), Lynn Vinzant (21) and Roger Ohman (20), the first two experienced cavers, were surveying in Gibb's South Maze of The Hole and were in a narrow deep canyon when the sound of approaching water was heard. Vinzant and Ohman left immediately for higher ground but Rutherford, out of scientific curiosity, stayed to observe the water come. Finally, however, the roar became so loud that he hastily retreated and, in so doing, sprained his ankle badly.
With the assistance of the other members of the group, Rutherford was helped the nearly mile-long route out of the cave.
Source: John Rutherford
Analysis: (Rutherford) Panic leads to haste, a frequent cause of accidents - compare the similar accident in Rimstone River Cave (1969), also due to haste in retreating before rising water. In the present instance, it had rained outside but the water actually rose only about one foot in the period of a minute.
To have avoided this accident, Rutherford subsequently suggested: "1. Start for higher ground immediately (as the others did); 2. Don't panic; or 3. Stay and watch". A more serious injury would have necessitated a long and difficult rescue operation. If the water had risen three feet, staying and watching might have been disasterous.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.