Rockvale, TN - Around 3:00 o'clock Friday afternoon, a group of MTSU students were taking an educational field trip to Snail Shell Cave in the Rockvale Community when one of them fell approximately 80-feet into the cavern.

 

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene where they began assessing and stabilizing the individual’s injuries.

 

Rutherford County Fire and Rescue set up a high-angle rope rescue operation to lower additional rescuers and then, when stabalized, the victim would be hoisted out of the sinkhole. 

 

The individual, whose identity is not being released, was reportedly part of a group of MTSU students attending an educational trip to the property. The condition of the MTSU student has not been released at this time. 

 

As the injured student was raised to the surface from Snail Shell Cave, the LifeFlight helicopter landed and the victim was flown to the Trauma Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

 

A special thank you to the great teamwork shown between responders from Rutherford County Fire and Rescue, Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, along Rutherford County Emergency Management Agency. That same care was also found with the LifeFlight rescue members. 

 

As more information is made available, WGNS will keep you informed.