Rescue in the depths of the earth

Johann Westhauser has been waiting to be rescued from the Riesending cave in the Bavarian Alps for since June 8. The researcher from the southwestern town of Kornwestheim was hit by falling rocks and is unable to return to the surface on his own. The rescue operation is perilous.

The injured researcher and his team discovered the giant cave system in 1995 and named it Riesending - "giant thing" - for its sheer size. The cave, situated on the Austrian border, is 1148 meters deep (3,800 feet) and about 19 kilometers (12 miles) long. The accident happened at one a.m. on Sunday.

One expedition team member stayed behind with the injured 52-year-old while the third researcher climbed the 12-hour route back to the surface to get help. The emergency call finally went out 13 hours after the accident occurred.

By the afternoon of June 8, mountain rescuers were completing preparations for the cave rescue. Three teams of eleven began the long descent to the victim. The cave entrance, located on a mountain at an altitude of 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), is best reached by helicopter. The aircraft also delivered materials for the rescuers.

T he cave rescue team is able to communicate with rescuers in the cave via a radio system called Cavelink. The cutting-edge technology is based on long-wave frequencies and enables rescuers to communicate between the entrance and the location of the accident with messages similar to text messages.

Around 200 helpers traveled to the Berchtesgaden the day after the disaster - among them, several specialized cave rescuers. But not many rescuers could fit through the narrow corridors of the cave. That’s why the majority of the rescuers are waiting at a provisional station located at the entryway.

The first rescue team reached the injured man three days (10.06.2014) after the accident. There, they were able to give the all-clear sign: The man was conscious and, with the help of rescuers, was able to walk. Another team of doctors is preparing to descend to further assist in stabilizing the man.

The problem: The Riesending cave system is complex and very challenging for the climbers. Right at the entrance of the cave, the terrain descends around 350 meters through abseiling passages. The tunnel then continues for many kilometers, encountering shafts, underground creeks and other impediments.

On Thursday (12.06.2014), rescuers reported that, with the help of the rescuers, Johann Westhauser will be able to start his journey back. While a team of two doctors and six cave rescuers prepare him for the trip, another six teams have started to bring medicine and rescue equipment down into the cave. The ascent with the injured man might take several days.