Positivity: “Caver” Rescued in Arizona
While he was rappelling, he got trapped. An impressive array of help arrived:
Crews rescue caver in Huachuca Mountains
March 18. 2006FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. - A Duke University student from Sierra Vista who was rescued after rappelling into a cave on Fort Huachuca was released from the hospital Saturday.
David Shipman, 20, was rescued Friday after about a 24-hour search effort. He was flown by a med-evac helicopter to University Medical Center in Tucson, said Fort Huachuca spokeswoman Tanja Linton said.
Shipman was discharged from the hospital Saturday and recovering in his home, said Nina Dashiell, clinical supervisor at the hospital.
Shipman, home from school on spring break, went hiking Thursday with two friends in a remote area of the Huachuca Mountains.
The cave is located toward the fort’s west gate, Linton said.
Shipman, an ROTC cadet, told his friends he was going to rappel into a cave on a sheer cliff for about a half-hour. When he failed to emerge 90 minutes later, one friend went for help.
Some 170 law enforcement and rescue personnel from the fort, Cochise and Pima counties and the U.S. Border Patrol were at the site through Friday afternoon when rescuers brought Shipman out of the cave, Linton said.
