Five divers went in, only four emerged, until 36 hours later. Then came the moment a man found out he would not die in a cave.
The first words between the two divers was recorded on a body cam, worn by specialty rescue diver, Edd Sorenson.
“How are you feeling, (I’m) Edd Sorenson.”
Deep in the Mill Pond cave, perched upon a dry rock landing above the water, sat Josh Bratchley. Sorenson winded his way underwater to reach the stranded diver, whose only hope was to be rescued.
“There’s going to be another line close to it and it will wrap around that pinnacle.”
Sorenson immediately started working out a plan to get both men out safely.
“Try and slide off here and come in head first to this.”
Bratchley’s diving experience is well-documented. He helped save 12 soccer players in a cave in Thailand. But as Sorenson explained after the rescue, Bratchley’s line to lead him out of the cave broke. And once off that line, he had no chance.
“One slip and the visibility goes from whatever you had, to nothing in the blink of an eye,” said Sorenson.
Thus, making the discovery of that lone air pocket, and the mission to save Bratchley, even more remarkable.
