Two University of Florida students were found dead in a Walker County cave Saturday night after friends called authorities asking for help.
The two males were rappelling in Ellison's Cave with eight friends -- three other males and five females -- when one called up for help after jumping down a drop, authorities said.
"The second one went down, they didn't hear any noise, so the others went for help," Walker County Coroner Dewayne Wilson said. "Looks like there was water down there, and they died of hypothermia."
The other eight contacted authorities about 2:30 p.m.
The official cause of death will be released after autopsies are performed, officials said.
Wilson said he is familiar with the more than 600-foot-deep cave, as people have been injured there before.
The cave is in the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area off Georgia Highway 193 and is open to the public.
Ellison's is the 12th deepest cave in the U.S., and Walker County is among the top 10 caving destinations in the country.
Contact Carey O'Neil at coneil@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6525.
related articles »
This month marks the first anniversary of one of the area’s worst caving accidents on record.
Dirk Siron had spent 10 hours trapped more than a quarter-mile underground. The 51-year-old’s back, arm and ankle were broken ...
More than 700 University of Florida students held a vigil Sunday night to mourn two students who died in a ...
Walker County investigators have confirmed two students from Florida have died in Ellison's Cave.
Or login with:
New Account