The family of a man who died after getting stuck in a cave at an indoor climbing centre in the Lake District say they have been left “broken-hearted”.
Carl O’Keeffe, a 49-year-old man from Lancaster, was attending a birthday party with his niece in the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria, on 22 April, Sky News reported.
O’Keeffe was reportedly with four children when he slipped and got stuck inside one of the facility’s caves, remaining there for more than four hours. When staff were unable to rescue him, emergency services were called just after 3pm.
Members of the police, Cumbria fire and rescue, Keswick mountain rescue, Cumbria Ore Mines rescue unit, Great North air ambulance and the North West ambulance service’s hazardous area response team were all present at the scene.
Staff and other visitors helped dismantle parts of the climbing wall to allow access to the caving tunnels.
After the hours-long rescue, O’Keeffe was taken to the intensive care unit at Cumberland infirmary in Carlisle with “crush injuries”.
O’Keeffe suffered from multiple-organ failure, according to a Facebook post by his older sister, Olivia Short. She paid tribute her “beautiful, intelligent, fascinating brother”.
“At 3pm today I sat with Carl and said goodbye forever,” Short wrote on Sunday. “He was my baby brother and over the last few years became my best friend.”
Short, who said she had been in the hospital with her brother since the accident, continued: “It became apparent that the injuries were severe and he would not be able to survive. He was then moved to a private room and I was able to stay with him so that he could die with some dignity.
“I’m broken-hearted,” she said. “As are the rest of our family.”
A Cumberland council spokesperson told the Mirror: “We have been notified of an incident that took place at the Kong Adventure Centre, Keswick, and are investigating the matter, as the regulating body.”
A Kong Adventure Centre spokesperson said: “On Saturday 22 April, a member of the public became stuck in the cave system at Kong Adventure.
“Staff tried to help the man and followed all emergency procedures but it became apparent that outside assistance was needed.
“Fire crew, mountain rescue, cave rescue, paramedics and Kong staff then worked to extricate the casualty, who was taken to Carlisle hospital for further treatment.”
