List of UK caving fatalities


This is a list of recreational caving fatalities in the United Kingdom. It includes all verified deaths associated with the exploration of natural caves and disused mines in the modern era. Deaths involving members of the general public who may have slipped down a shaft, or wandered into a cave without being aware of the risks, have been excluded. Caving cannot be considered a particularly dangerous pastime - in 2018, there were up to 4,000 regular cavers in the UK and about 70,000 people who went on instructor-led courses into caves in the Yorkshire Dales, but there were no fatalities.

List of fatalities

There have been 136 fatalities associated with recreational caving in the UK. The main causes of death have been drowning when cave diving, drowning as the result of flooding or negotiating deep water, injuries incurred from falling from a height, and injuries incurred as the result of rock falls. In ten cases the bodies have not been recovered.
The worst incident in UK caving history was the Mossdale Caverns incident in 1967 when six cavers were drowned following an unexpected cloud burst. There have been three incidents when three people have died. The first was when three cavers drowned in Langstroth Pot in 1976 when free-diving short sections of underwater passage as the result of the air in an air bell becoming foul. Three cavers were killed by a rock fall in Ease Gill Caverns in 1988, and three cavers were drowned in the Marble Arch system in 1995.
Porth yr Ogof, in South Wales, accounts for eleven fatalities, nine of which were the result of people drowning when negotiating the exit pool. Ease Gill Caverns and its associated entrances accounts for ten deaths; Alum Pot and its associated entrances account for six, as does Mossdale Caverns.
The only case of a caver dying in the UK as the result of becoming stuck was Neil Moss in Peak Cavern in 1959. The cause of death was foul air building up around him.
DateCaveAreaCauseNameNotes
Sept 1909Square Shaft, Alderley EdgePeak DistrictFallAlexander Rea17-year-old boy on school outing
May 1929West Mine, Alderley EdgePeak DistrictHypothermiaGeorge Etchells
Alfred Hadfield		Bodies found 7 September 1929
July 1936Alum PotYorkshire Dales Rock fallMabel BinksPossibly hit by a rock deliberately thrown down the shaft
May 1939Rowten PotYorkshire DalesDrownedJohn LambertFell and subsequently drowned
March 1946West Mine, Alderley EdgePeak DistrictFallArthur Murray
Dec 1946Grange Rigg PotYorkshire DalesHypothermiaHarold SargeantDied following a fall
May 1948West Mine, Alderley EdgePeak DistrictFallLeslie Hunt13-year-old schoolboy
Apr 1949Wookey HoleMendipDivingGordon Marriott
May 1951Penyghent PotYorkshire DalesHypothermiaJohn Williams
Oct 1954West Mine, Alderley EdgePeak DistrictFallKenneth John Booth16-year-old schoolboy
May 1955Alum PotYorkshire DalesFallJohn Edgar FisherFell from near top of Dolly Tubs pitch when unlifelined
Jun 1957Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedLeonard Garraway
Jan 1958Goyden PotYorkshire DalesDrownedBrian KerrBody not recovered
Jan 1959Swildon's HoleMendipHypothermiaJohn Wallington
Mar 1959Peak CavernPeak DistrictCO2 poisoningNeil MossResult of being trapped in confined space. Body interred in situ
July 1959Dow CaveYorkshire DalesRock fallDavid Priestman
Dec 1959Bar PotYorkshire DalesFallEric Sugden
Dec 1960Eastwater CavernMendipRock fallAlan Hartnell
Jun 1961Coed-y-Mwstwr Woods CaveSouth WalesRock fallTony Lewis
Sep 1961Ball Eye MinePeak DistrictFallGeorge Keeling
Jan 1962Hell HoleYorkshire DalesDrownedEban Beeves
Oct 1962Alum PotYorkshire DalesFallJohn Hopley
Mar 1963Deep Ecton MinePeak DistrictDivingGarry McElliottDiving with British Sub-Aqua Club - not a cave diver
Mar 1963Longwood SwalletMendipHypothermiaHeather Muirhead
May 1963Mandale MinePeak DistrictDrownedRoger LowDrowned after falling down flooded surface shaft
Nov 1963Marble Steps PotYorkshire DalesDrownedMike McShea
Mar 1964Lancaster HoleYorkshire DalesDivingAlan Clegg
Jun 1966Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedRichard Speakman
Jan 1967Alum PotYorkshire DalesFallJames DrummondSchoolboy under supervision
Feb 1967Carlswark CavernPeak DistrictDrownedRobert MacDonald14-year-old schoolboy under supervision
Mar 1967Easter Iron MineForest of DeanFallRex KeeneHemp rope broke when abseiling 90 metre shaft
Jun 1967Mossdale CavernsYorkshire DalesDrownedDave Adamson
Geoffrey Boireau
William Frakes
John Ogden
Michael Ryan
Colin Vickers		The bodies were later interred in the far reaches of cave
Oct 1967Sunset HoleYorkshire DalesFallEric LuckhurstRescue formed basis of Sid Perou's film "Sunday at Sunset Pot"
Aug 1968Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedAnthony Stannard
Mar 1969Meregill HoleYorkshire DalesHypothermiaChristopher Hay
Aug 1969Ease Gill CavernsYorkshire DalesRock fallDuncan Glasford
Sep 1970PollanaffrinNorthern IrelandNatural causesMick Mulligan
Oct 1970Keld HeadYorkshire DalesDivingAlan ErithRemains retrieved 5 years later
Oct 1970Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedStephen Sedgewick
Feb 1971Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedPaul EsserRemains retrieved in 2010
May 1971Weathercote CaveYorkshire DalesRock fallJohn Fellows
Sep 1971Swinsto HoleYorkshire DalesFallMichael Midgley
Aug 1972Firehose CaveScotlandDrownedPeter Clements
Mar 1973Knotlow MinePeak DistrictDrownedAlan Evans
May 1973Wood Mine, Alderley EdgePeak DistrictDrownedPaul Shaw14-year-old boy on an outdoors pursuits course
July 1973Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedGraham AlstonTrainee soldier on exercise
Sep 1973Eldon HolePeak DistrictFallSulo Sulonen
Apr 1974Holme Hill CaveYorkshire DalesFallPeter Trousdale
Jun 1974Ogof Agen AllweddSouth WalesDivingRoger SolariBody not recovered
July 1974Merlin's CavePeak DistrictDivingJohn Smith
Dec 1974Gaping GillYorkshire DalesFallDavid HuxtableConsidered to be the UK's first SRT fatality
Sep 1975Ireby Fell CavernYorkshire DalesFallStephen Hughes
Feb 1976Oxlow CavernPeak DistrictFallStephen Nunwick
May 1976Langstroth PotYorkshire DalesDrownedMartin Blackburn
Brian Fox
Donald Southern		Encountered foul air whilst free-diving
Aug 1976Royal Hopping MinePeak DistrictRock fallLeslie Wheeler
May 1977Blayshaw Gill PotYorkshire DalesRock fallJohn Rhodes
Sep 1977Ilam RisingPeak DistrictDivingMike Nelson
April 1978Wheal Edward MineCornwallFallStella Bourke
Oct 1979Cote Gill PotYorkshire DalesCO poisoningRichard Marvel
John Staniforth		Result of using high explosives
Dec 1979Ogof Ffynnon DduSouth WalesDrownedJ. Fitton
D.Gough		Washed away
Mar 1980Bull Pot of the WitchesYorkshire DalesDivingIan Plant
Aug 1980GB CaveMendipNatural causesIan Roberts-Miller
Oct 1980Top SinkYorkshire DalesFallTracy Gibson
Nov 1980Keld HeadYorkshire DalesDivingMark Woodhouse
Feb 1981PollnacromNorthern IrelandDivingDavid WoodsBody not recovered
July 1981Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedAdrian Luck
Nov 1981Wookey HoleMendipDivingKeith Potter
May 1982Gaping GillYorkshire DalesFallEdward Holstead
May 1982Diccan PotYorkshire DalesNatural causesAnthony Mosedale
Jun 1982Sunset PotYorkshire DalesDrownedNeofitos Savva
Aug 1982Ireby Fell CavernYorkshire DalesFallJohn Martin
Nov 1982Gaping GillYorkshire DalesFallRobert Watson
Sep 1983Smallcleugh MineCumbriaFallDavid Colin Brooks17-year-old boy scout fell 18 metres
Jan 1985Hurtle PotYorkshire DalesDivingDerek Crossland
Feb 1985Bagshawe CavernPeak DistrictDrownedMark Dowsett15-year-old schoolboy on school trip
Nov 1985Lancaster HoleYorkshire DalesDrownedDavid James
Jan 1986Longwood SwalletMendipRock fallAtilla Kurucz
Mar 1986Rowten PotYorkshire DalesDrownedDavid AndersonCave Rescue Organisation team member on rescue
May 1986Dale Head PotYorkshire DalesDrownedJames Taylor
July 1986Porth yr OgofSouth WalesNatural causesGwynfor Hughes
Apr 1988unnamed caveYorkshire DalesDivingNick Whaite
May 1988Ease Gill CavernsYorkshire DalesRock fallJanet Barnfield
Michael Preece
David Simpson
Aug 1988Uamh Claig-ionnScotlandHypothermiaCharles Butterworth
Feb 1989Jib TunnelYorkshire DalesHypothermiaKeith Mann
May 1989Ivy Green CavePeak DistrictHypothermiaMichael BoultonBody found a year later in, with no lighting
Feb 1990Kingsdale Master CaveYorkshire DalesDrownedPhil Tamms
Jul 1990Glynneath Silica MineSouth WalesNatural causesNeville GroomOn management training course
July 1991Jacob's MinePeak DistrictRock fallStephen Goodwin
Nov 1991Sell Gill HolesYorkshire DalesNatural causesFrancis Hardy
Jun 1992Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedAmanda Stead
Jun 1992Joint HoleYorkshire DalesDrownedMartin McMahon
Oct 1992Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedGraham LippDied after rescuing boy
Jan 1993Kingsdale Master CaveYorkshire DalesDrownedMichael JonesWashed into Kingsdale Master Cave sump
Feb 1994Lost Johns' CaveYorkshire DalesRock fallPaul Lyons
July 1994Dismal Hill CaveYorkshire DalesDivingTrevor Kemp
Oct 1994Old Ing CaveYorkshire DalesDrownedPeter Ball
Nov 1994Whittington Stone MineCotswoldsNatural causesBob Fairclough
Jan 1995Marble Arch CavesNorthern IrelandDrownedCon Cormican
Brian Kennedy
Philip Marshall
May 1995Calf HolesYorkshire DalesNatural causesThomas DennyManagement training exercise
Aug 1996Quaking PotYorkshire DalesFallChristine Bleakley
May 1997Lancaster HoleYorkshire DalesFallMichael Jeffries
Dec 1998Ogof Pont Yr MeirwSouth WalesDivingPeter Fowler
Nov 2000Lancaster HoleYorkshire DalesDrownedHoward Rothwell
Feb 2001Ireby Fell CavernYorkshire DalesDrownedJulian Carrol
Ray Lea
July 2002Porth yr OgofSouth WalesDrownedKevin Sharman
Sep 2004Notts PotYorkshire DalesFallPaula Szajnowska
Mar 2005Low Birkwith CaveYorkshire DalesDivingColin Pryer
Nov 2005Manchester HoleYorkshire DalesHypothermiaJoseph ListerSchoolboy under supervision
Mar 2006Upper Flood SwalletMendipNatural causesMalcolm Cotter
Mar 2006Astonhill SwalletPeak DistrictRock fallDavid Briggs
Aug 2006Meregill SkitYorkshire DalesNatural causesMike WoodingDied of natural causes whilst diving
Dec 2007Giant's HolePeak DistrictHypothermiaPaul Fowkes
Dec 2007Lower Long ChurnYorkshire DalesDrownedCaroline Fletcher
Stuart Goodwill
July 2008Coal mine at CraigmillarScotlandAsphyxiationPeter IresonAbseiled into foul air in disused coal mine
Apr 2011Pwll-y-CymSouth WalesDivingBonnie Cotier
Aug 2014Aber Las MineNorth WalesAsphyxiationWill SmithOvercome by foul air in disused slate mine
Feb 2015Bull Pot, KingsdaleYorkshire DalesRock fallGordon Aitken
Aug 2017Ewes Top Moss Pot, Scales MoorYorkshire DalesNatural causesMichael WoodDate uncertain - body not found for several weeks
Jun 2019Curtain Pot, Fountains FellYorkshire DalesFallHarry Hesketh
Jan 2020Lancaster HoleYorkshire DalesDivingSimon Halliday

Breakdown of fatalities by cause and area

The following table summarises the major causes of fatality in UK caving by cause and by area. The commonest cause of fatality in the UK is drowning - accounting for almost half the deaths when cave diving is included, and 40% when diving is excluded. The second major cause of fatality, when cave diving is excluded, is falling from height which accounts for 23% of fatalities, followed by rock fall which accounts for 14% of fatalities. The 'Other' category includes gas poisoning and asphyxiation.
AreaDivingDrownedFallRock fallHypothermiaNatural causesOtherTotal
Mendip20022208
Northern Ireland 13000105
Peak District357340123
South Wales3120102018
Yorkshire Dales 926171055274
Other01301128
Total1847271612115136

Breakdown of fatalities by cause and decade

The following table summarises the major causes of fatality in UK caving by decade. The changes from decade to decade partly reflect the different numbers of active cavers, partly changing techniques, and partly improved equipment.
DecadeDivingDrownedFallRock fallHypothermiaNatural causesOtherTotal
1900s00100001
1910s00000000
1920s00002002
1930s01010002
1940s10201004
1950s02312019
1960s2125320024
1970s4118201228
1980s665433027
1990s292204019
2000s161122114
2010s10110115
2020s10000001
Total1847281512115136

Breakdown of fatalities over time

The following bar chart shows the number of fatalities in each decade.

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