Albany County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team Saves Stuck Group

In a dramatic Sunday night rescue operation, the Albany County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team along with Onesquathaw Volunteer Fire, NYS Fire, Slingerlands Rescue and medical personnel from Albany Med successfully extricated a young individual from Queensbury who had become trapped in the Clarksville cave. Sheriff Craig Apple confirmed the incident on social media, detailing the events and praising the team for their swift and effective response.

The ordeal began when a group from Queensbury entered the Clarksville cave for what was intended to be a routine exploration. However, upon exiting the cave, one member found themselves in a precarious situation, unable to maneuver through a tight passage. As the situation unfolded, it became clear that the individual required immediate assistance to safely exit the cave.

Sheriff Craig Apple's post on social media encapsulated the intensity of the rescue effort, highlighting the commitment and expertise of the Search and Rescue team. He posted on X stating,

Earlier this evening a group from Queensbury entered the Clarksville cave and upon exiting one subject became stuck. After five hours of rigging and setting up a variety of pulley systems the 20-year-old from Queensbury was pulled from the cave with very minor injuries. Awesome job! Training equals success!

ACSO is currently working a rescue call at the Clarksville cave entrance for a subject who is uninjured but unable to exit the cave. Our SRT is on scene along with Onesquethaw Fire! pic.twitter.com/2Wv79A8MMR

— Craig D Apple (@CraigDApplesr) June 30, 2024

Over the course of five hours, rescuers meticulously rigged and deployed pulley systems to carefully extract the trapped individual from the cave's challenging terrain. Despite the complexities and potential hazards involved in cave rescues, their efforts ensured that the young person emerged with only minor injuries, underscoring the team's proficiency and dedication to their mission.