Inquest opens into death of father died after getting stuck in cave

Father, 49, died after his body was ‘compressed’ for hours in a fibreglass indoor cave at a tourist attraction while playing with children, inquest hears

• Carl O’Keeffe, 49, playing with his children when he became trapped in cave
• Experienced climber, hailed as a ‘devoted dad’, suffered terrible crush injuries
• Father-of-three’s inquest was opened at Cockermouth Coroner’s Court today

A father died after his body was ‘compressed’ for hours after getting stuck in an indoor cave at a tourist attraction, an inquest heard this morning. 

Carl Anthony O’Keeffe, 49, was playing with his children at a birthday party when he became trapped for four hours and suffered terrible crush injuries inside the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria on April 22.

An inquest into the death of the experienced climber, who was hailed as a ‘devoted’ father-of-three, was opened at nearby Cockermouth Coroner’s Court by Assistant coroner for Cumbria Dr Nicholas Shaw.

Dr Shaw said Mr O’Keefe, from Lancaster, died in Cumberland Infirmary on April 30 2023.

‘Mr O’Keeffe unfortunately became stuck in a fibreglass tunnel at a caving experience centre, in Keswick,’ Dr Shaw told the inquest. 

Carl Anthony O’Keeffe, 49, was playing with his children at a birthday party when he became trapped for four hours 

The father-of-three’s died in Cumberland Infirmary on 30 April 2023 after he was brought there in a ‘critically unwell’ condition

The experienced climber, who was hailed as a ‘devoted dad’, suffered terrible crush injuries inside the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria on April 22

‘And he could not be extracted. It took several hours for specialist teams to extract him.

READ MORE: Other people had ‘got stuck’ at indoor cave where trapped father suffered fatal injuries

‘He became quite unwell and his body was compressed.’

He was transferred to Cumberland Infirmary in a ‘critically unwell’ condition and was placed on the intensive care unit.

Dr Shaw continued: ‘Unfortunately, despite the very best efforts of the intensive care team, it was clear he was not going to make a recovery, and, sadly, at that time palliative care was put in place.’

Mr O’Keeffe was formally identified by a member of mortuary staff at the hospital.

Dr Shaw suspended the inquest until a later date for the preparation of specialist reports.

After staff at the centre were unable to rescue him, Keswick Mountain Rescue, air ambulance, fire crews and cave rescuers all scrambled to the scene where they managed to free him by dismantling sections of the climbing wall panels to gain access to the hidden tunnels.

A closed cave at the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria, in 2020

After staff at the centre were unable to rescue Mr O’Keeffe, Keswick Mountain Rescue, air ambulance, fire crews and cave rescuers all scrambled to the scene where they managed to free him by dismantling sections of the climbing wall panels to gain access to the hidden tunnels 

This map shows the location of the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick

Keswick Mountain Rescue, who attended the scene alongside the air ambulance, fire crews and cave rescuers, said he got stuck in a ‘narrow tunnel’ as he attempted to turn at Kong’s climbing wall

The incident was attended by six crews from Cumbria Fire and Rescue, police, Keswick Mountain Rescue, Cumbria Ore Mines Rescue Unit, Great North Air Ambulance and the Northwest Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team

Mr O’Keeffe was rushed to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle where he remained until his death on April 30.

Paying tribute, his sister Olivia Short, said: ‘He was my baby brother and over the last few years became my best friend.

‘I loved him dearly and we were in contact daily doing word challenges and exchanging weird facts of nature. I also got to spend alternate weekends with him and his children.

‘I have been with him since his accident in Keswick on Saturday 22nd April. he was taken to Carlise hospital intensive care with crush injuries.

‘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.

‘Adam was with me and Carl during those last days. He was my support and my rock, he helped me get through this unbearable time. I’m broken-hearted. As are the rest of our family.’

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