Clemson students escape Kentucky cave through neck-deep water

A group of college students trapped by flash flooding on a field trip to a Kentucky cave Thursday walked through neck-deep water to get to safety, authorities said.

The 19 people who escaped more than six hours after entering Hidden River Cave included students from Clemson University, four tour guides and two police officers who became trapped when they tried to rescue the group, Kentucky State Police Trooper B.J. Eaton said.

There was no communication between the stranded cavers and the more than 150 emergency personnel at the scene. Authorities didn’t know exactly where the missing cavers were underground, and the only light the group had came from headlamps they wore.

The Clemson students had planned a five-hour trip exploring the cave as part of their geology studies when torrential rains hit the region after they entered, McDaniel said. The group went into the cave about 10 a.m. CDT Thursday and walked out on their own about 4:30 p.m. They were checked for hypothermia but declined further medical attention, McDaniel said.

Associated Press