Cave rescue

Cave rescue is the specialized work of locating, treating, and evacuating people who are injured, trapped, or lost underground. It combines technical rope systems, medical care, and coordinated movement through confined passages.

Cave surveying: Cave surveying measures and maps underground passages, chambers, and elevations. Survey data helps rescuers locate a casualty and plan a route through branching passages.
Caving: Caving is the recreational exploration of natural underground cavities. Cave rescue draws on the movement skills and environmental knowledge developed through caving.
Tham Luang cave rescue: The 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue evacuated twelve boys and their football coach from a flooded Thai cave. The operation required international coordination and complex underwater evacuation.
National Cave Rescue Commission: The National Cave Rescue Commission is a United States organization that trains and supports cave rescue personnel. It develops training and coordination capacity for cave incidents across the country.
Technical rope rescue: Technical rope rescue uses ropes, anchors, and specialized systems to reach and move people in difficult terrain. Vertical shafts and steep cave passages often require controlled rope raises or lowers.
Vertical caving: Vertical caving is the exploration of caves using rope techniques to negotiate pits and shafts. Rescuers need these techniques to access and evacuate casualties from vertical caves.
Nutty Putty Cave accident: The Nutty Putty Cave accident was a 2009 entrapment in Utah that ended with the death of John Edward Jones. The incident exposed how a tight, downward-sloping passage can make recovery exceptionally difficult.
International Commission for Alpine Rescue: The International Commission for Alpine Rescue is a federation that shares knowledge on mountain and related rescue operations. Its work connects cave rescue practice with wider international technical-rescue expertise.
Confined space rescue: Confined space rescue removes people from enclosed areas with restricted access and potentially hazardous conditions. Cave passages pose access and movement constraints shared with other confined-space incidents.
Cave communication: Cave communication uses wired, radio, or other systems to transmit messages underground. Reliable links between underground teams and surface command support coordinated operations.

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