Rescue Service offers more details, photos from Lookout Mountain cave

After 12 hour search, they rescue two lost cavers

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue Service describes the underground search that found two lost cavers last night.

They say that Gabriel Vaughn and Robby Dobos went to explore a cave on Monday night that is closed off to the public.

But when friends hadn’t heard from them on Tuesday, they called for help.

They say the pair were familiar with the cave, but under-prepared for the environment they came across in an unmapped section of the cave.

Deputy Chief, Brad Tipton, reported, “The missing party navigated the low airspace crawl for over 600 feet where they were exposed to full immersion in 40º water for a prolonged period of time. Exposure to these conditions without a wetsuit or proper clothing most likely increased their disorientation and forced them to take shelter to survive. The party’s youth and endurance prevented them from succumbing to exposure and hypothermia.”

The CHCRS Cave team describes this cave as multi-level, with 80 feet of vertical drop.

They say that made it easy for the lost cavers to become disoriented.

The pair ended up going almost two miles deeper into the cave instead of getting back to the entrance.

The rescue crews had to crawl through tight spaces, flooded with water and little airspace.

And some used their wetsuits.

Deputy Chief Brad Tipton said, “CHCRS members located the party beyond the low airspace crawl and quickly prepared the party for travel under their own power. Additional CHCRS rescuers entered the cave to bring the party food, water, and dry clothes.”

Despite the (literal) pitfalls, the two young men were able to follow the rescue teams out on their own power.

On the outside, they were evaluated but refused to go to the hospital.