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A trio of cavers were brought to safety subsequent to a subterranean mission continuing for 30 hours in "terrible weather" amid the tempest.

The veteran spelunkers found themselves stuck inside the challenging Dowber Gill Passage, near the Yorkshire Dales.

The alarm was raised at 22:00 BST Thursday night as they failed to return and a relative notified emergency services.

Rescue organizations reported over 100 volunteers were involved during the demanding mission, that encountered difficulties by worsening weather, water ingress, challenging topography along with long hours in the caves.

At the moment the men were found in the early hours on Friday, rising water levels signified the simplest way out was inaccessible, compelling the rescuers and the cavers to backtrack.

Mission coordinator explained how had they found the explorers a bit earlier, everyone might have made it home "in time for breakfast".

"Regrettably the weather had a different plan for us," he said.

"The immediate danger remained flooding and possibly in certain parts within the passage, drowning.

"If waters had increased at those points, the situation would have become exceedingly dangerous."

Adjacent response units provided support, such as multiple trained response teams.

The underground teams worked in relays to guide the exhausted cavers back, meanwhile external personnel endured "appalling" conditions to keep contact plus manage logistics.

At a critical moment, team members erected a dam with waterproof material to divert swelling floodwaters around the opening.

The first missing caver emerged safely around 3:30 PM that Friday, then the next at 02:30 Saturday morning and the last explorer subsequently.

Each explorer were hurt though the rescue leader said they suffered from fatigue due to being exposed and damp over two days.

"Needs resilient individuals to withstand that," he remarked.

Emergency responders wrapped up the mission around 7:45 AM.

Even though the storm was predicted to impact starting Friday, team leaders said the caving trip planned by the men had been "entirely appropriate" accounting for their expertise plus meteorological situation that day.

Nevertheless, heavy rain came sooner while also more intensely than expected.

The explorers had shared key details regarding their itinerary – from Providence Pot to Dow Cave – before setting off, with team leaders confirmed that information "proved crucial".

"Without that notification from the relative, nobody would have known these guys were overdue until someone noticed vehicles left near the entrance over an extended period," he concluded.