By Timberly Ross
The Associated Press
MAQUOKETA, Iowa — Rescuers chiseled away rock Saturday in an effort to free a man trapped overnight in a cave at an Iowa state park.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman Kevin Baskins said crews had been asking the man to wiggle to see if he could get free as they widened a narrow part of Wye Cave at Maquoketa Caves State Park. Baskins said the man was tired but otherwise OK.
Park Ranger Scot Dykstra said visitors discovered two people lodged in the cave about 8 p.m. Friday and alerted park staff. It’s unclear how long the couple had been there. Dykstra said they became stuck while crawling through a narrow part of the cave.
Rescue crews from Maquoketa and Quad Cities were able to free the woman about 1 a.m. Saturday. She was treated at the scene for minor injuries, Baskins said.
The couple’s names have not been released.
The 323-acre state park is northwest of Maquoketa, about halfway between Des Moines and Chicago. It features more than a dozen caves visitors can explore on their own, either by walking or crawling, based on their own ability and comfort level, according to the park website.
Baskins said he’s not sure whether the man was experienced in cave exploration.