A woman died after she fell nearly 100 feet within a cave in Virginia, authorities said.
The woman was identified as Autumn Nicole Draper, 38, of Fairlawn, Virginia, Giles County Emergency Services Coordinator Jon Butler told CNN Saturday.
A 911 call came into the Giles County Sheriff’s Office at roughly 4:13 p.m. on Friday about a woman falling into a cave near Pearisburg, according to a county emergency services news release.
The Pearisburg Fire Department and the Giles Rescue Squad responded, officials said.
After first responders arrived on the scene, officials said they contacted the Celco Emergency Response Team and the Blacksburg Rescue Squad’s Technical Rescue Cave team to assist in rescue efforts.
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Once rescue crews made their way into the cave, they discovered Draper’s body, according to Butler.
“The female was extricated from the cave by rescue personnel working the incident,” officials said in the release.
Rescue crews cleared the scene around 1 a.m. Saturday, Butler said.
The sheriff’s office is still investigating the incident.
Located near the Virginia/West Virginia state line in Giles County, Pearisburg is approximately 25 miles west of Blacksburg.
Virginia has more than 4,000 caves, according to the commonwealth’s Department of Energy.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
