Tragedy Averted: Tourists Trapped inside ATM Cave Get Out Safely

There was a scare at the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave this afternoon when reports surfaced that a group of as many as one hundred and fifty tourists was trapped when the water level rose inside the cave. The Belize Search and Rescue Team, better known as BSART, dispatched a team of rescuers. By the time the team got there, reports are that the water level had subsided and the tourists got out without incident. News Five spoke via phone with the Executive Director of BSART, Wendy Garcia.

On the Phone: Wendy Garcia, Executive Director, BSART

Wendy Garcia

“We got a call to assist in the rescue of some tourists in the ATM cave. So we responded to the scene, however, when we got there, the water had already receded in the caves so the tourists were able to pass and everyone came out safe from the area.”

Duane Moody

“So it was that they were trapped inside the cave?”

On the Phone: Wendy Garcia

“Yes we got the information that we had roughly about a hundred to a hundred and fifty tourists that were trapped inside the cage because of the water level that went up. We responded to the call however, when we got there, the water had receded and the tourists could have passed and so we did not have to do any technical rescue at that time.”