![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() "It would have affected his ability to breathe adequately." "Due to the circumstances with his body being held the way it was and being wedged, it was most likely difficult to get a full deep breath," Cannon said. He was wedged around his mid-torso and upper hip area. Though Cannon said they were able to get some air-powered tools into the cave to chip away at some of the rock that trapped him, Jones most likely died from the pressure on his body and his inability to breathe. The death of Jones, the first in the cave to date, prompted officials to reevaluate the monitoring of the cave since it became a controlled access point in 2004. Cannon said they are considering closing the cave permanently but have not made a concrete decision. They've closed all access to the area and it will be guarded by uniformed deputies. In the meantime, sheriff's officials have declared the cave a public hazard. "We're back to where we were (during the) 27 hours, and once we get him unstuck it's still a two or three hour process of getting him back up." "We're still in the uncertainty phase in terms of how they're going to bring Jones out," Cannon said Thursday. ![]() Once a plan has been determined, Cannon said the rescuers will arrive and continue doing the same work they did in the 27 hours leading up to Jones' death as his body is still stuck in the same crevice. Sheriff's deputies returned to the site Thursday morning. The recovery effort was shut down for the night. "We weren't able to get him out quick enough." "The emotional factor alone will have a toll on the rescuers," Sgt. Shortly after midnight a rescuer was able to get close enough to confirm the Stansbury Park man had died. Eldon Packer said Jones, 26, became unresponsive before midnight and had difficulty breathing several hours before. "Thank you, and God bless all of you on this Thanksgiving Day." But we find comfort knowing that he fulfilled his purpose here on Earth, and that we will be reunited with him again," the family stated, adding thanks to many people and agencies that have helped them and Jones. "We'll never fully understand how or why it was John's time to leave us. The family – including Jones' wife and daughter, parents, four brothers, two sisters and 16 nieces and nephews – said in the statement that they are grateful for the rescue efforts and know officials "did all they could to get John out," including singing Primary songs to help get him through the night. He leaves behind a wife and a baby daughter, and a second child expected in June.Īccording to a family statement released Thursday, Jones will be remembered for "his good nature, delightful sense of humor, strong work ethic, a genuine love of people, a masterful ability to relate to children, a love of and unwavering faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and his commitment to his family as an amazing husband, father, son and brother." The rescue took its toll on crews working at the cave, many of whom were grieving and struggling with their inability to free Jones.ELBERTA, Utah County - Despite more than a full day of rescue efforts, John Edward Jones died around midnight Wednesday while trapped in a tight section of Nutty Putty Cave. where the cave peters out to virtually nothing," said Valentine, who said he'd been in Nutty Putty some 25 times over the years. "This particular area is very, very difficult. Jones found himself in one of the areas off the cave's main passage during an outing with 11 friends and family Tuesday night and was unable to get out. It reopened in May and had once again become popular, especially among amateur cavers, said Mike Leavitt, who managed access to the cave.Īlthough the cave was popular, it had never been fully mapped. The cave hosted 5,000 to 10,000 visitors per year until 2006, when it was temporarily closed while managers implemented a stricter system of access that included a permit system, requirement that cavers be with someone experienced and a locked gate. The last time was in 2004 when a teenage boy had to be pulled out of an area not far from where Jones got stuck. Although Jones' death is the first known fatality since cavers began exploring Nutty Putty's narrow passageways in the 1960s, rescuers have been called to the cave five times in the last 10 years. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |