Caver Dies in Sloans Valley Cave, Kentucky

MORE INFO ON CAVE DEATH!

A rescue mission to find Edward Martin of Cincinnati sadly turned into a recovery mission Saturday, after he fell off a ledge while caving with some friends near Tateville.

To area cavers, Edward Martin was no stranger to the Slones Valley Cave area, especially around Thanksgiving. John Lamar Cole says for the last 15 years the Cincinnati man came to the area, with a group of friends, who would join others in exploring the caves. "They certainly knew the cave system and they knew physically where to go. It's sad. He was a nice guy." Said Cole.

Officials say Martin was the last, in a group of four, making their way out of a cave when he fell to his death. Officials estimate Martin fell some 20 to 30 feet. "One of the gentleman close with him said he believed he was leaning over, or tried to jump over, and possibly missed a ledge. Mr. Martin was at the second ledge, the bottom of 25 feet." Pulaski County Coroner Richard New says rescuers had to use a harness to pull Martin's body out of the narrow cave. For now, he can only speculate on the cause of death. "Could have had a heart attack or hit his throat or something of that nature." Said New.

Sadly, folks say Martin didn't have any of the proper safety gear which could have saved his life. "None of this would have happened had those basic principals been followed. Good gear usage and proper techniques would have avoided this death entirely." Said John Lamar Cole.

Officials don't know if alcohol was involved, but they say Martin's body has been taken to Frankfort for an autopsy.

Here's another article concerning this cave accident. Our condolences to the family and friends.

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Price Hill man dies in cave accident

It was a Thanksgiving weekend tradition for the past dozen years.

Edward Martin and several of his buddies traveled 175 miles south to Pulaski County, Ky., to explore caves.

"He loved caving," said Martin's mother, Amelia Sousa of Cheviot. "If he could have lived down there, he would have. The trip was something he and his friends did every Thanksgiving."

But the tradition turned tragic this year when Martin fell about 25 feet inside a narrow, jagged rock passageway to his death Saturday.

"I saw him lose his grip and fall," said Douglas Meyer, 33, of Price Hill. "It is the worst memory in my mind."

Meyer said before the accident, he and Martin had been "free climbing" - going through caves without ropes, harnesses or helmets.

"It was somewhat dangerous," said Meyer. "I would advise ropes and harness. I would not do it again without rope. I probably will keep my distance from there in the future."

Martin, 40, of East Price Hill, was an experienced caver who was familiar with the 56-foot deep pit that resembles a well in the Sloan's Valley cave system about 15 miles south of Somerset.

"He had climbed out of there many times before," said Meyer. "We knew what we were getting into."

Martin and Meyer were among a group of seven people who had started exploring caves about 3:30 p.m. Saturday and were winding up their expedition at about 6:30 p.m.

Three of the cavers decided to exit the way they had entered and four, including Martin and Meyer, decided to climb up the 56-foot vertical pit that contains a section cavers call "Screaming Willie."

"It is very dangerous," said Jim McWhorter, the Pulaski County chief deputy coroner who was summoned to the cave Saturday night.

After a rescue squad used pulleys and ropes to lift Martin's body from the cave floor, McWhorter pronounced Martin dead at the scene.

"He fell through a real narrow passageway of jagged rocks, hitting the rocks even before he hit the floor of the cave," said McWhorter. "He suffered massive internal injuries of the head and chest."

John Cole of Lexington, a director of the board of governors of the National Speleological Society, claims to know the Sloan's Valley caves better than anyone else. He said it was the first known fatality in the 27-mile long system.

"This was a needless tragedy," said Cole, who was caving nearby at the time of the accident and was a member of a standby rescue team. "This accident should never have happened.

"With climbing equipment like a rope and helmet, this pit is a piece of cake. Without equipment, it is very dangerous."

Martin, who had attended Western Hills High School and was single, was a laborer for Bokey's Cleaning Service.

Full Article

Dude I heard something about this. Total bummer man. Was he like at least wearing a helmet? Seems like I read he didn't have one on. Condoleneces to friends and family. Stuff like this bums me out.

I was camping, along with many other cavers a short distance from where this incident occurred. We were amongst the first to hear about the fall, when the landowner’s (who owns the property next to the entrance) daughter came down to the group fire pit and told us about the fall. While I have no comments on the accident or the decisions that lead to it, I do have to mention the quick response of the rescuers. Within a few short minutes of hearing of the accident, several groups of cavers and climbers grabbed their gear and raced to the scene. A few minutes later, the EMS and fire rescue vehicles started showing up. Unfortunately, due to the injuries, nothing could have been done to save the person’s life, but from what I saw, they did their absolute best at trying.

I’ve always used a rope on that entrance while going either up and down. I even went down it several hours earlier. However, I know of many people who have free climbed it - I even spoke to 4 people earlier that day that did it. While it may seem fairly easy to climb (and it is), one slip and you’re gone…Period. Hopefully, because of this accident, people will think more about the possible consequences before they take risk of free climbing it.

I didn’t know Eddie, but I’m so sorry for his friends and family. This is a tragic accident that didn’t need to occur, but could easily have happened to many of us who don’t put safety first.

When a friend and I repelled down Screaming Willy’s earlier that day, it was on a military climbing rope with plenty of wear, and I was wearing a hard hat, not a climbing helmet. That will never happen again. I’ll be getting a “real” helmet and a “real” static line rope before I ever go down to Sloan’s or anywhere else. This accident finally made me realize that saving money is not worth my life. I’m going to start putting my safety first, regardless of price.

Just my thoughts and opinion,
Andy