Post by jonsdigs on Feb 10, 2007 12:14:37 GMT -5
Cave group found safe
Peter Rolfe
Victoria Herald Sun
February 11, 2007 12:00am
Two men and a woman lost in a deep Gippsland cave for more than 11 hours were found late last night.
About 11.30pm, Warragul State Emergency Services volunteers located the trio, whose identities were not released.
It is believed they were found due to the local knowledge of the SES crew, who were trained in caving.
The group, aged in their mid 20s, entered the famous Labertouche Caves in Tarago National Park, near Warragul, about 12.10pm.
They were due to emerge about 2.30pm, but failed to return from what had been expected to be a two-hour tour.
A relative of one of the lost men raised the alarm about 7pm.
The group was last seen entering the Labertouche caves
When one man failed to return home by 7pm his wife contacted police.
Police and SES volunteers last night scoured the site about 100km from Melbourne.
SES spokesman Tim Wiebusch said a trained caving crew with lighting joined the search.
"Apparently two of them have reasonable experience in caving, but they were due back a long time before they were reported missing. So there is some concern," he said before the group was found.
"Initial information is that there were three people who went into the cave, but only two of them had any experience."
Police spokeswoman Marika Fengler said there had been worry about the group's safety.
"The concern is that they are lost or something has happened and they can't find their way out," she said.
"Apparently it's quite easy to get lost because there are lots of different caves breaking off from the main one."
Ms Fengler said it should have taken no more than two hours to visit the caves.
She said one of the men had visited the caves several times before.
The system is the most popular in the state among caving adventurers.
It is beneath forest and granite boulders and has narrow chambers and tunnels.
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