The lifeless body of a guide was discovered Thursday, May 4 in the evening during the caving rescue operation at the Sassenage tanks, announces the Isère prefecture. The teacher and the second guide were found safe and sound and are now out. The Grenoble public prosecutor’s office opens an investigation and entrusts it to the PGHM (High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon).
They were taking part in a school outing with a class of 5th grade when, at the end of the morning, the sudden rise in the waters surprised them during their ascent to the exit. All the college students got out of the cave in time. A teacher and two professional speleologists who supervised the group remained stranded.
Two other people found alive
At 7:30 p.m., as soon as a favorable weather window presented itself, an evacuation operation was launched by the emergency services. During their progress, the rescuers discovered a body identified as that of one of the two guides. The other two stranded people were found alive in a room in the cave.
The intervention mobilized the Group of reconnaissance and intervention in perilous environments (Grimp), the SDIS 38, the Isérois speleology rescue, the firefighters, the CRS Alpes, the SAMU, and the High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon ( PGHM) as well as the Isère gendarmerie group.