LaFAYETTE, Ga — Two University of Florida students died after rappelling into a cave in northwest Georgia Saturday. The students are from the Central Florida area.
Michael Pirie, 18, and Grant Lockenbach, 20, were exploring Ellison's cave in the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area near LaFayette with a group of 10 U.F. students.
Pirie is from Orlando and went to Lake Highland Preparatory. Lockenbach is from DeLand and went to DeLand Senior High school.
There are reports that Lockenbach went to retrieve a bag he dropped down a hole, and began calling for help.
Pirie jumped down to help and that's when the two got tangled.
Their friends above did not hear any noise afterward, so they went for help. The men were dead before rescuers arrived.
"They made a bad decision to go to a cave that was well above their skill level, and they pushed the limitations of their abilities almost immediately," said Brad Tipton of the Hamilton County Cave and Cliff Rescue Team.
Officials said there was water in the cave and it appears the victims died of hypothermia. Autopsies were planned to determine the exact cause of death.
Officials said it's not the first time people have been injured or killed in the 600-foot-deep cave.
WFTV
