Exploring the Deepest Cave in the World - Gone Wrong

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,950
Bill stone is an Explorer an Explorer that pushes the boundaries of cave exploration.

2
00:00:05,450 --> 00:00:07,490
He's also a brilliant engineer.

3
00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:13,550
One that comes up with what are sometimes considered crazy ideas and wildly innovative technology.

4
00:00:14,050 --> 00:00:25,920
And it's this technology that he uses to further his and his team's exploring abilities because on this trip, Bill wanted to map what he felt to be the deepest cave in the world.

5
00:00:26,250 --> 00:00:29,520
If only he got the chance to prove it by fully mapping it.

6
00:00:30,020 --> 00:00:33,710
He knew it had so much more to offer than what he maps so far.

7
00:00:33,770 --> 00:00:38,780
The problem was he could only bring so many dozens of scuba tanks deep into the cave.

8
00:00:38,810 --> 00:00:43,400
So he designed his own breathing device to eliminate the hoards of tanks.

9
00:00:43,900 --> 00:00:52,210
At 4,500 feet below ground, his newly designed and tested MK four breathing technology would be put to the ultimate test.

10
00:00:52,710 --> 00:00:59,070
They would be so far underground that a lot of the passages were underwater and required scuba gear to get through.

11
00:00:59,570 --> 00:01:03,110
But traditional scuba tanks didn't last long enough that deep.

12
00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,660
That's why he created the MK four.

13
00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,300
By the end of his expedition, the team of 45 would dwindle down.

14
00:01:10,690 --> 00:01:11,860
To a team of seven.

15
00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:13,230
I'm Tatiana.

16
00:01:13,620 --> 00:01:15,420
And this is occurrence.

17
00:01:24,924.729166667 --> 00:01:32,604.729166667
The Oaxaca expedition was something bill was very passionate about because if he could finish mapping a cave named Sistema, Huautla.

18
00:01:33,24.729166667 --> 00:01:36,954.729166667
Not only would it confirm his belief that it's the deepest cave in the world.

19
00:01:37,314.729166667 --> 00:01:41,4.72916667
But he could accomplish something that he'd been trying so long to do.

20
00:01:41,504.72916667 --> 00:01:44,854.72916667
Because this wasn't his first trip in to Sistema Huautla.

21
00:01:45,244.72916667 --> 00:01:47,764.72916667
His first trip was in 1976.

22
00:01:48,264.72916667 --> 00:01:55,314.72916667
But it was his first time everyone would be using his new invention under those kinds of high risk circumstances.

23
00:01:55,734.72916667 --> 00:02:01,104.72916667
Because the goal was to be almost a mile underground for days and weeks at a time.

24
00:02:01,344.72916667 --> 00:02:03,804.72916667
Mapping the cave and the Southern Mexican state.

25
00:02:04,134.72916667 --> 00:02:04,834.72916667
Of Oaxaca.

26
00:02:05,384.72916667 --> 00:02:10,424.72916667
Before taking experimental technology into what could potentially be the deepest cave in the world.

27
00:02:10,724.72916667 --> 00:02:11,834.72916667
They had to test it.

28
00:02:12,334.72916667 --> 00:02:16,264.72916667
Before they headed over to the cave, his team of 45 explorers.

29
00:02:16,294.72916667 --> 00:02:19,534.72916667
First tested his breathing technology off the coast of Florida.

30
00:02:20,34.72916667 --> 00:02:26,364.72916667
The MK four scrubbed exhaled air and recirculated it to extend the amount of time a diver could stay underwater.

31
00:02:26,864.72916667 --> 00:02:35,204.72916667
It had triple redundancies and it was debugged in a ridiculous amount of simulations, but there could be no errors, a mile under ground.

32
00:02:35,704.72916667 --> 00:02:41,524.72916667
Where they were going was so deep, underground and so dangerous that a simple mistake would be fatal.

33
00:02:41,824.72916667 --> 00:02:43,984.72916667
And a true full skill rescue effort.

34
00:02:44,14.72916667 --> 00:02:44,884.72916667
Wasn't happening.

35
00:02:45,384.72916667 --> 00:02:47,304.72916667
There were waterfalls inside the cave.

36
00:02:47,364.72916667 --> 00:02:52,374.72916667
There were entire sections submerged in water, and it was very, very cold.

37
00:02:52,874.72916667 --> 00:02:58,874.72916667
With how deep and intricate the case system was and how tight and taxing the journey in its entirety could be.

38
00:02:59,294.72916667 --> 00:03:01,34.72916667
The survival chances were slim.

39
00:03:01,394.72916667 --> 00:03:09,464.72916667
Even for his experience team that regularly carried almost 200 pounds of gear down 65 foot vertical shafts.

40
00:03:09,964.72916667 --> 00:03:11,404.72916667
The Florida testing was fine.

41
00:03:11,434.72916667 --> 00:03:16,684.72916667
So they started the multi-week long expedition in Sistema Huautla cave on March 3rd.

42
00:03:17,184.72916667 --> 00:03:20,394.72916667
out of the 45 person team, there was a main point team.

43
00:03:20,394.72916667 --> 00:03:24,534.72916667
I made up of Ian Rowland, a mechanic for the royal air force.

44
00:03:24,894.72916667 --> 00:03:30,204.72916667
Noel Sloan an anesthesiologists and Steve Porter, a property analyst.

45
00:03:30,704.72916667 --> 00:03:37,814.72916667
The first few days, they laid out 750 feet of rope in the cave, but bill wanted more done by that time.

46
00:03:38,94.72916667 --> 00:03:41,514.72916667
He was known to push others as hard as he could in his mind.

47
00:03:41,544.72916667 --> 00:03:43,434.72916667
It was up to them to self-regulate.

48
00:03:43,854.72916667 --> 00:03:47,874.72916667
It was a we're all adults here know your own limits type of situation.

49
00:03:48,54.72916667 --> 00:03:49,44.72916667
When Kevin with bell.

50
00:03:49,544.72916667 --> 00:03:52,964.72916667
They were getting ready to get to the other side of the San Agustin, sump.

51
00:03:53,464.72916667 --> 00:03:56,854.72916667
The sump looked like a J trap on your everyday bathroom sink.

52
00:03:57,184.72916667 --> 00:03:59,824.72916667
It was filled with silt and stylist sites.

53
00:03:59,914.72916667 --> 00:04:03,184.72916667
It was over a quarter mile long and about 40 feet wide.

54
00:04:03,684.72916667 --> 00:04:08,964.72916667
And around this time, Jim brown, who was the second most experienced person using the MK four.

55
00:04:09,464.72916667 --> 00:04:11,534.72916667
Decided he wouldn't dive.

56
00:04:12,34.72916667 --> 00:04:14,644.72916667
He didn't feel comfortable with the vibe in the cave.

57
00:04:15,144.72916667 --> 00:04:18,24.72916667
Bill was agitated, things kept going wrong.

58
00:04:18,414.72916667 --> 00:04:20,124.72916667
He just didn't want to push his luck.

59
00:04:20,624.72916667 --> 00:04:24,824.72916667
Underground bill was practically obsessed with whatever his goal would be.

60
00:04:25,64.72916667 --> 00:04:30,674.72916667
So he was absolutely not picking up on the fact that people were getting a bad taste in their mouth about the trip.

61
00:04:31,174.72916667 --> 00:04:34,84.72916667
But it was time for others to dive the Santa Gustin.

62
00:04:34,584.72916667 --> 00:04:42,654.72916667
In the past, they weren't able to get through it because the scuba gear they used didn't have enough air capacity to make it but they had the MK four this time.

63
00:04:43,194.72916667 --> 00:04:48,674.72916667
In America divers are trained to dive in pairs in other countries with systems similar to the some spin.

64
00:04:48,674.72916667 --> 00:04:50,744.72916667
This cave they're taught to dive alone.

65
00:04:51,244.72916667 --> 00:04:53,254.72916667
And in explorations like this.

66
00:04:53,614.72916667 --> 00:04:55,444.72916667
Dining alone is even more important.

67
00:04:55,984.72916667 --> 00:04:57,714.72916667
A, buddy increases the risk.

68
00:04:58,164.72916667 --> 00:05:01,224.72916667
They could kick up silt making both divers go blind.

69
00:05:01,584.72916667 --> 00:05:02,874.72916667
They could panic.

70
00:05:03,174.72916667 --> 00:05:09,144.72916667
Any number of issues could arise that causes one diver to try and save the other diver.

71
00:05:09,444.72916667 --> 00:05:12,414.72916667
And it ends with two lives being lost instead of one.

72
00:05:12,914.72916667 --> 00:05:17,54.72916667
Every diver on Bill's team understood that if you got into trouble, you were on your own.

73
00:05:17,554.72916667 --> 00:05:23,224.72916667
So Kenny broad went first to explore San Agustin using the MK4 on March 27th.

74
00:05:23,724.72916667 --> 00:05:27,744.72916667
He successfully made it through to the sandbar on the other side, on the first try.

75
00:05:28,244.72916667 --> 00:05:30,584.72916667
He got back to the group and told them all about it.

76
00:05:30,944.72916667 --> 00:05:35,744.72916667
Most people on the team that deep into the cave lived for discovery and exploration.

77
00:05:36,244.72916667 --> 00:05:39,874.72916667
You don't sign up and train to do something so dangerous and extreme.

78
00:05:40,114.72916667 --> 00:05:41,284.72916667
If it wasn't a passion.

79
00:05:41,784.72916667 --> 00:05:43,704.72916667
And Ian Rowland had the passion.

80
00:05:43,704.72916667 --> 00:05:49,14.72916667
And the excitement because hearing Kenny talk about the trip, what he saw and how easy it was with the MK.

81
00:05:49,514.72916667 --> 00:05:52,4.72916667
had Ian ready to go scoop some booty to.

82
00:05:52,504.72916667 --> 00:05:55,624.72916667
Which by the way is caver slang for discovering new terrain.

83
00:05:56,124.72916667 --> 00:05:58,704.72916667
Before Ian set off, he told Kenny quote.

84
00:05:59,204.72916667 --> 00:06:03,194.72916667
Don't call out the Calvary, unless I've been gone for six hours.

85
00:06:03,694.72916667 --> 00:06:04,174.72916667
End quote.

86
00:06:04,674.72916667 --> 00:06:05,814.72916667
And then Ian was off.

87
00:06:05,874.72916667 --> 00:06:07,314.72916667
It was around 4:00 PM.

88
00:06:07,814.72916667 --> 00:06:10,914.72916667
At the same time, Noel, Sloan Got a bad feeling.

89
00:06:11,414.72916667 --> 00:06:15,554.72916667
It was the same feeling he got in 1992, when a tragedy happened.

90
00:06:16,54.72916667 --> 00:06:21,454.72916667
So Noel and Steve go to the nearby town and Noel went to see a shaman for a tarot reading.

91
00:06:21,454.72916667 --> 00:06:23,774.72916667
The Sham apulls four cards.S.

92
00:06:23,994.72916667 --> 00:06:28,494.72916667
They wewere for yourself, family, friends, and question that you had.

93
00:06:28,994.72916667 --> 00:06:32,264.72916667
The card that was pulled for friends was the death card.

94
00:06:32,764.72916667 --> 00:06:42,664.72916667
And I would just like to say the death card in tarot does not literally mean someone is going to die, but this immediately sent new oil back to the disaster before this trip.

95
00:06:43,164.72916667 --> 00:06:49,564.72916667
In 1992, bill held a five week camp to prepare his team For the dangers of the Huautla system.

96
00:06:50,64.72916667 --> 00:06:54,234.72916667
It was in the Jackson panhandle of Florida named Jackson blue spring.

97
00:06:54,734.72916667 --> 00:06:58,454.72916667
It had similar features to what they would experience on their expedition.

98
00:06:58,454.72916667 --> 00:06:58,904.72916667
Now.

99
00:06:59,404.72916667 --> 00:07:07,74.72916667
Ralph Adams was an Australian caver and was usually in dry caves, but he signed up for the expedition to Sistema Huautla.

100
00:07:07,524.72916667 --> 00:07:10,944.72916667
During the training, he was also getting his cave diving certifications.

101
00:07:11,444.72916667 --> 00:07:16,94.72916667
And on the last day of training Roth and an experienced cave diver named Jim Smith.

102
00:07:16,424.72916667 --> 00:07:20,354.72916667
Did one last dive since Ralph wanted to make sure that he was prepared.

103
00:07:20,854.72916667 --> 00:07:25,84.72916667
Ralph swam into a hole in the cave wall entrance that had a fixed line.

104
00:07:25,584.72916667 --> 00:07:30,54.72916667
They both went about 2000 feet in before turning around to come out.

105
00:07:30,554.72916667 --> 00:07:39,524.72916667
About halfway back, Jim turned around to check on Roth and saw him floating by the cave roof and switching his primary MK for his backup one.

106
00:07:40,24.72916667 --> 00:07:46,84.72916667
Once he was done, he signaled that he was fine and swim back to the line and they just continued on.

107
00:07:46,584.72916667 --> 00:07:47,854.72916667
A few minutes later, Rolf.

108
00:07:47,874.72916667 --> 00:07:51,654.72916667
Frantically swims up to Jim and his signaling that he can't breathe.

109
00:07:51,984.72916667 --> 00:07:56,304.72916667
So Jim gives him his MK four while he switches to his own backup.

110
00:07:56,724.72916667 --> 00:08:00,594.72916667
And while they're doing this, they failed to pay attention to their buoyancy.

111
00:08:01,14.72916667 --> 00:08:03,504.72916667
And ended up sinking to the floor of the cave.

112
00:08:04,4.72916667 --> 00:08:11,294.72916667
So it flies up all around him and this caused them to quickly increase their buoyancy, but they overdid it and shut up to the cave ceiling.

113
00:08:11,794.72916667 --> 00:08:19,24.72916667
When they hit the ceiling, the MK four fell out of Ralph's mouth and he pulled away from Jim and swam into the darkness.

114
00:08:19,524.72916667 --> 00:08:26,4.72916667
Jim immediately swam to the cave entrance and surfaced in the Nick of time, because he was pretty much out of air.

115
00:08:26,504.72916667 --> 00:08:32,294.72916667
When they found Ralph's body and equipment, the investigation showed his equipment was working perfectly.

116
00:08:32,654.72916667 --> 00:08:34,544.72916667
He still had Aaron his tanks.

117
00:08:35,44.72916667 --> 00:08:40,774.72916667
What killed him was pilot error and his inexperience in panic caused him to drown.

118
00:08:41,274.72916667 --> 00:08:42,684.72916667
He was a friend of Bill's.

119
00:08:42,714.72916667 --> 00:08:54,204.72916667
So bill give a eulogy at his funeral and postponed the current expedition a few months, which ended up turning into two years due to funding issues and logistics problems.

120
00:08:54,704.72916667 --> 00:08:57,974.72916667
But it had now been three hours since Ian left.

121
00:08:58,454.72916667 --> 00:09:00,314.72916667
And Kenny started getting nervous.

122
00:09:00,814.72916667 --> 00:09:04,894.72916667
He had been boiling tea, water, and Ian should have completed the dive by now.

123
00:09:05,74.72916667 --> 00:09:06,214.72916667
It was 7:00 PM.

124
00:09:06,714.72916667 --> 00:09:08,994.72916667
Ian was diabetic and insulin dependent.

125
00:09:09,264.72916667 --> 00:09:12,384.72916667
He'd been diving for years, managing it with candy bars.

126
00:09:12,864.72916667 --> 00:09:14,514.72916667
But Kenny started to worry.

127
00:09:14,904.72916667 --> 00:09:17,514.72916667
If Ian remembered his candy this time.

128
00:09:18,14.72916667 --> 00:09:20,294.72916667
If he forgot it, he could be in trouble.

129
00:09:20,794.72916667 --> 00:09:25,234.72916667
But Ian did tell him to wait six hours and there must've been a reason for that.

130
00:09:25,684.72916667 --> 00:09:26,854.72916667
So he waited.

131
00:09:27,354.72916667 --> 00:09:33,774.72916667
By the fourth hour, can you set up a lantern and the pulley platform system? So Ian could get himself out of the water.

132
00:09:34,24.72916667 --> 00:09:40,264.72916667
If he came back while Kenny went to go find people who would be willing to go rescue Ian, if he didn't return.

133
00:09:40,764.72916667 --> 00:09:44,874.72916667
When six hours passed with no sign of Ian, Kenny woke everyone up.

134
00:09:45,374.72916667 --> 00:09:54,164.72916667
He told them his fears for Ian and bill said they needed to be well rested before putting together another rebreather in case something happened to Ian's.

135
00:09:54,664.72916667 --> 00:10:03,514.72916667
He felt if Ian was trapped on the sandbar on the other side of the sump, He would be safe from hyperthermia and could just rest there until they were able to get him.

136
00:10:04,14.72916667 --> 00:10:05,214.72916667
But just to be sure.

137
00:10:05,304.72916667 --> 00:10:09,564.72916667
Bill asked Dawn, another diabetic in the group about their opinion on it.

138
00:10:10,64.72916667 --> 00:10:17,834.72916667
And they came to the conclusion that if Ian had his candy bars, if he was having a low blood sugar event, they would sustain him overnight.

139
00:10:18,334.72916667 --> 00:10:21,694.72916667
Kenny didn't like hearing that and he was visibly upset.

140
00:10:21,994.72916667 --> 00:10:27,34.72916667
So Dawn calmed him down and just explain that everyone had done so much during the day.

141
00:10:27,514.72916667 --> 00:10:28,474.72916667
They were all tired.

142
00:10:29,24.72916667 --> 00:10:35,174.72916667
that was not the place to be in trying to pull off a dangerous rescue and an already dangerous environment.

143
00:10:35,504.72916667 --> 00:10:38,654.72916667
And everyone's brains are half off because they haven't rested.

144
00:10:39,154.72916667 --> 00:10:40,594.72916667
So Kenny calmed down.

145
00:10:40,624.72916667 --> 00:10:43,594.72916667
He understood the reasoning, but he didn't like it.

146
00:10:44,94.72916667 --> 00:10:44,844.72916667
That night.

147
00:10:45,204.72916667 --> 00:10:46,284.72916667
Nobody slept well.

148
00:10:46,784.72916667 --> 00:10:50,474.72916667
Around five, the next morning, everyone was up and getting ready to go help.

149
00:10:50,504.72916667 --> 00:10:50,804.72916667
Ian.

150
00:10:51,304.72916667 --> 00:11:00,484.72916667
Bill and Kenny put together another MK four while Noel, Steve and some British cave divers from a nearby cave, went to try and get more help.

151
00:11:00,984.72916667 --> 00:11:02,724.72916667
Once the device was assembled.

152
00:11:02,784.72916667 --> 00:11:04,974.72916667
Kenny cleared the sump in 30 minutes.

153
00:11:05,474.72916667 --> 00:11:10,244.72916667
When he got to the other side of the sump, he called out for Ian, but got no response.

154
00:11:10,744.72916667 --> 00:11:14,674.72916667
He saw footprints go up one side of the sandbar and disappear over the hill.

155
00:11:14,674.72916667 --> 00:11:19,744.72916667
So he swim around to the other side and found Ian floating in a few feet of water.

156
00:11:20,244.72916667 --> 00:11:22,74.72916667
The lights on the MK four were flashing.

157
00:11:22,134.72916667 --> 00:11:26,304.72916667
So he thought he might've made it just in time and went to try and save him.

158
00:11:26,804.72916667 --> 00:11:30,794.72916667
But once he touched Ian, he realized that he was too late.

159
00:11:31,294.72916667 --> 00:11:35,944.72916667
So Kenny sat there and processed what happened before he went back and told bill.

160
00:11:36,444.72916667 --> 00:11:37,44.72916667
Ian drowned.

161
00:11:37,544.72916667 --> 00:11:39,584.72916667
There are 4,500 feet below ground.

162
00:11:39,884.72916667 --> 00:11:44,354.72916667
Uh, waterfall raging nearby, and bill had a hard time processing the sentence.

163
00:11:44,854.72916667 --> 00:11:46,834.72916667
He didn't really hear what was said.

164
00:11:46,954.72916667 --> 00:11:47,794.72916667
He felt it.

165
00:11:48,294.72916667 --> 00:11:54,54.72916667
There was something about living that far underground for weeks at a time that bill had come to understand.

166
00:11:54,554.72916667 --> 00:11:56,504.72916667
And that was the fact that people died.

167
00:11:57,4.72916667 --> 00:12:02,644.72916667
He had already lost somewhere between 10 to 20 friends to the exploration lifestyle.

168
00:12:03,124.72916667 --> 00:12:09,124.72916667
And something he despised was how they took on greater risk than astronauts for NASA.

169
00:12:09,484.72916667 --> 00:12:11,134.72916667
With less external support.

170
00:12:11,554.72916667 --> 00:12:14,314.72916667
And in a society so obsessed with safety.

171
00:12:14,814.72916667 --> 00:12:16,224.72916667
Everyone overlooked them.

172
00:12:16,724.72916667 --> 00:12:28,214.72916667
The Explorer is willing to go risk their own lives to go into unknown territory where quote, every step forward is one step closer to what might be the world's deepest cave.

173
00:12:28,714.72916667 --> 00:12:29,784.72916667
It's a holy mission.

174
00:12:30,304.72916667 --> 00:12:30,904.72916667
End quote.

175
00:12:30,924.72916667 --> 00:12:36,504.72916667
They don't get state funerals, no buildings with their names on them, but they are doing the important work.

176
00:12:37,4.72916667 --> 00:12:38,354.72916667
But bill didn't say that.

177
00:12:38,354.72916667 --> 00:12:38,594.72916667
Right.

178
00:12:38,594.72916667 --> 00:12:41,444.72916667
Then instead he looked around and realized.

179
00:12:41,944.72916667 --> 00:12:43,834.72916667
That's not where everyone else's thoughts were.

180
00:12:44,334.72916667 --> 00:12:50,874.72916667
Bill who was someone team member said when a life is on the line, there's nobody more reliable than him.

181
00:12:51,374.72916667 --> 00:12:54,614.72916667
Was looking around to see everyone had lost faith in him.

182
00:12:55,114.72916667 --> 00:12:57,874.72916667
They thought his experimental breathing device killed Ian.

183
00:12:58,374.72916667 --> 00:13:06,164.72916667
They were nervous to try and use the MK4 Again, and with everyone being underground for 12 days at this point, they were honestly too tired to try.

184
00:13:06,664.72916667 --> 00:13:07,834.72916667
Bill hoped his device.

185
00:13:07,834.72916667 --> 00:13:16,294.72916667
Wasn't the reason another one of his friends died, but he would have to go get Ian's body and his gear about 300 pounds altogether.

186
00:13:16,794.72916667 --> 00:13:20,454.72916667
While going through a silt filled, 1400 foot tunnel.

187
00:13:20,784.72916667 --> 00:13:25,224.72916667
Filled with freezing water and trust his device to help him make it back.

188
00:13:25,724.72916667 --> 00:13:36,304.72916667
It was a long shot, but he wasn't going to leave his friend and he had to make sure the MK4 Wasn't faulty? I can't imagine the sheer amount of different emotions he had to be feeling.

189
00:13:36,664.72916667 --> 00:13:42,334.72916667
To have to trust your invention, knowing it's the only hope to get your friend and clear its name.

190
00:13:42,834.72916667 --> 00:13:48,604.72916667
An hour later, bill set off on his solo recovery mission and made it to the other side of the sump.

191
00:13:49,94.72916667 --> 00:13:53,684.72916667
He observed the area where Ian was and notice there were no signs of struggle.

192
00:13:53,924.72916667 --> 00:13:55,904.72916667
It looked like he fell asleep and died.

193
00:13:56,154.72916667 --> 00:13:56,964.72916667
With the MK four.

194
00:13:57,324.72916667 --> 00:13:58,314.72916667
Dangling beside him.

195
00:13:58,814.72916667 --> 00:14:03,674.72916667
Bill clipped Ian and his gear to his chest and started the journey back using the guideline.

196
00:14:03,914.72916667 --> 00:14:05,54.72916667
Kenny laid previously.

197
00:14:05,554.72916667 --> 00:14:13,114.72916667
He had to be careful because the only way bill could manage to bring Ian back was by using the buoyancy device on Ian.

198
00:14:13,614.72916667 --> 00:14:16,944.72916667
He had to keep just enough air in it to keep from sinking.

199
00:14:17,444.72916667 --> 00:14:18,794.72916667
But not so much.

200
00:14:19,34.72916667 --> 00:14:20,564.72916667
That they would shoot to the roof.

201
00:14:21,64.72916667 --> 00:14:22,54.72916667
But of course.

202
00:14:22,324.72916667 --> 00:14:24,514.72916667
Bill accidentally overinflated the vest.

203
00:14:24,784.72916667 --> 00:14:25,984.72916667
And Ian flew up.

204
00:14:26,484.72916667 --> 00:14:28,704.72916667
Which made him lose his grip on the guideline.

205
00:14:28,914.72916667 --> 00:14:30,474.72916667
When he shot up on top of him.

206
00:14:30,974.72916667 --> 00:14:34,964.72916667
He got pinned between the roof and Ian and started hyperventilating.

207
00:14:35,354.72916667 --> 00:14:37,754.72916667
Which underwater can be deadly.

208
00:14:38,254.72916667 --> 00:14:44,14.72916667
He was looking at his dead friend, strapped in front of him and felt the ceiling push against him from behind.

209
00:14:44,514.72916667 --> 00:14:49,194.72916667
If he was using traditional diving gear and normal air, he'd be in trouble.

210
00:14:49,694.72916667 --> 00:14:52,694.72916667
But he was using the MK for his own invention.

211
00:14:52,724.72916667 --> 00:14:56,744.72916667
And as long as it didn't fail, he at least wouldn't run out of air.

212
00:14:57,244.72916667 --> 00:15:05,314.72916667
But bill did finally calm down and think clearly enough to deflate Ian's buoyancy vest, to trigger a freefall and grab onto the guideline.

213
00:15:05,814.72916667 --> 00:15:14,394.72916667
He started the journey back again, but about halfway through, he let too much air out of his vest and started to sink rapidly.

214
00:15:14,894.72916667 --> 00:15:21,164.72916667
He fell off the line again and started frantically hitting the vest in fleeter, but it would inflate back up.

215
00:15:21,664.72916667 --> 00:15:27,34.72916667
So they crashed, landed onto the floor of the sump, which caused a huge amount of silt to kick up.

216
00:15:27,534.72916667 --> 00:15:29,214.72916667
Bill laid there for a while.

217
00:15:29,334.72916667 --> 00:15:30,384.72916667
Catching his breath.

218
00:15:30,864.72916667 --> 00:15:33,954.72916667
Looking at his dead friend and waited for the silt to clear.

219
00:15:34,454.72916667 --> 00:15:37,424.72916667
Once it did, he made his way back to the guideline.

220
00:15:37,924.72916667 --> 00:15:40,324.72916667
And three hours after he started his journey.

221
00:15:40,774.72916667 --> 00:15:41,344.72916667
He returned.

222
00:15:41,844.72916667 --> 00:15:44,904.72916667
He was exhausted and Ian already started stiffening.

223
00:15:45,404.72916667 --> 00:15:49,64.72916667
The rest of the crew, greeted them and covered Ian's head with a wet suit hood.

224
00:15:49,304.72916667 --> 00:15:57,584.72916667
And for the next five days, they traveled 4,500 feet back up through the cave system to bring Ian's remains home.

225
00:15:58,84.72916667 --> 00:15:58,924.72916667
On the way back.

226
00:15:59,344.72916667 --> 00:16:01,624.72916667
Day 17 underground, a surprise.

227
00:16:01,624.72916667 --> 00:16:05,374.72916667
Hurricane hit the coast and sent 10 inches of water into the cave.

228
00:16:05,874.72916667 --> 00:16:11,784.72916667
It raised the water table 20 feet and trapped 4 team members, 3000 feet below ground.

229
00:16:12,284.72916667 --> 00:16:17,234.72916667
Bill had already made it above ground at the time and was forced to wait for the water table to lower again.

230
00:16:17,774.72916667 --> 00:16:22,204.72916666
Ian was sent for an autopsy and the results would cause a split in the caving community.

231
00:16:22,704.72916666 --> 00:16:24,204.72916666
And how they felt about bill.

232
00:16:24,704.72916666 --> 00:16:29,534.72916666
But when the team made it above ground, a few days later, pretty much everyone bailed.

233
00:16:30,34.72916666 --> 00:16:33,604.72916666
The only person who stayed to actively explore was Barbara.

234
00:16:34,84.72916666 --> 00:16:35,374.72916666
And she was Bill's girlfriend.

235
00:16:35,874.72916666 --> 00:16:39,864.72916666
She was the most inexperienced person on their entire team.

236
00:16:40,364.7291667 --> 00:16:43,214.7291667
The others who stayed included Noel and Steve.

237
00:16:43,574.7291667 --> 00:16:51,164.7291667
But they just waited at camp while bill and Barbara continued their original mission of mapping the cave for another 18 days.

238
00:16:51,664.7291667 --> 00:16:54,874.7291667
Two miles of previously unmapped land to be exact.

239
00:16:55,374.7291667 --> 00:16:58,134.7291667
And they named a large chunk of it after Ian Rowland.

240
00:16:58,634.7291667 --> 00:17:00,314.7291667
They never reached the end.

241
00:17:00,404.7291667 --> 00:17:04,154.7291667
And so the Sistema Huautla isn't considered the deepest cave on earth.

242
00:17:04,654.7291667 --> 00:17:09,34.7291667
It's the fourth deepest, but it is the deepest in the Western hemisphere.

243
00:17:09,534.7291667 --> 00:17:15,564.7291667
Bill believes if they ever do map the entire cave, it will prove to be the deepest in the world.

244
00:17:16,64.7291667 --> 00:17:17,864.7291667
The data recorder on Ian's MK.

245
00:17:17,864.7291667 --> 00:17:24,794.7291667
Four revealed that the device worked perfectly on his final dive and it was concluded that he had a hypoglycemic blackout.

246
00:17:25,294.7291667 --> 00:17:28,84.7291667
According to bill and the wired article written by Jeffrey.

247
00:17:28,84.7291667 --> 00:17:31,24.7291667
O'Brien where I got most of this information from.

248
00:17:31,524.7291667 --> 00:17:36,264.7291667
Ian set out without a candy bar and got so excited at the undiscovered land.

249
00:17:36,564.7291667 --> 00:17:38,664.7291667
That he pushed his body to its limits.

250
00:17:39,164.7291667 --> 00:17:43,814.7291667
To this day, there's discourse about if bill is responsible for Ian's death or not.

251
00:17:44,84.7291667 --> 00:17:48,954.7291667
But the MK four is today's rebreather used by divers all over the world.

252
00:17:49,454.7291667 --> 00:17:56,594.7291667
Bill stone at the time of the article had lost 16 friends to cave, exploration, and had to recover seven of them himself.

253
00:17:57,94.7291667 --> 00:17:59,854.7291667
Losing Ian was hard, but he had to press on.

254
00:18:00,184.7291667 --> 00:18:06,334.7291667
Because according to bill, if he hadn't, the trip to Sistema Huautla would have only been an adventure tale.

255
00:18:06,834.7291667 --> 00:18:08,634.7291667
And stone, isn't an adventurer.

256
00:18:09,134.7291667 --> 00:18:11,794.7291667
Like I said at the beginning, He's an Explorer.

257
00:18:12,294.7291667 --> 00:18:15,384.7291667
And the difference between the two is information.

258
00:18:15,884.7291667 --> 00:18:19,904.7291667
Bill said, if you don't bring home data, you've accomplished nothing.

259
00:18:20,404.7291667 --> 00:18:21,274.7291667
It's a stunt.

260
00:18:21,694.7291667 --> 00:18:22,324.7291667
It's a story.

261
00:18:22,824.7291667 --> 00:18:24,954.7291667
Leave your thoughts and their reviews or comments.

262
00:18:25,224.7291667 --> 00:18:28,944.7291667
And don't forget to follow or subscribe to hear more stories like this.

263
00:18:29,444.7291667 --> 00:18:32,354.7291667
All sources can be found@occurrencepod.com.

264
00:18:32,854.7291667 --> 00:18:33,784.7291667
See you next week.