Man rescued after six-hour ordeal trapped inside narrow cave crevice (Video)

Emergency responders in New York City successfully rescued a Brooklyn man who became trapped for nearly six hours inside a narrow crevice deep within a cave in upstate New York.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the incident occurred late Sunday night at Merlin’s Cave, a remote cave site located in the town of Canaan.

Officials said the man had descended approximately 400 feet into the cave shortly after 9 p.m. when he slipped into a tight rock formation and became wedged by his rib cage and pelvis, leaving him completely immobilized.

Rescue authorities explained that the confined space prevented the victim from moving either forward or backward, prompting a complex overnight rescue operation involving forest rangers and emergency response personnel.

Forest Ranger Lt. John Gullen said rescuers worked for hours in difficult underground conditions to safely free the trapped man, who had begun showing signs of hypothermia due to prolonged exposure to the cold cave environment.

Despite the frightening ordeal, officials confirmed that the victim did not sustain any major physical injuries.

According to rescue teams, specialized equipment, including a hammer drill, was used to carefully widen sections of the surrounding rock in order to create enough space to extract him safely without causing additional harm.

After several hours of painstaking efforts, responders successfully pulled the man out of the crevice and brought him to safety.

Authorities have not released the victim’s identity, but officials praised the coordinated rescue effort and emphasized the dangers associated with cave exploration, particularly in confined underground environments where movement can quickly become restricted.

The incident has renewed discussions around cave safety and the importance of proper preparation, equipment and experienced guidance during underground expeditions.