Between May 5 and 10, together with the Aggtelek National Park Directorate and within the framework of the ECRA (European Cave Rescue Association), we organized our international rescue exercise, “Stuck in Baradla – 2026.” Besides the Hungarian participants, 47 cave rescuers and cave rescue doctors from 17 countries attended the training. The whole event came together largely because cave rescuers seem capable of mobilizing an almost endless amount of volunteer work when the goal is worthwhile — and because the Aggtelek National Park Directorate has long been an exceptionally supportive partner, doing a great deal to ensure that the thousands of cavers visiting the region each year are backed by the strong safety net provided by the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service. Running partly in parallel with the international exercise, both in time and location, we also held our own national spring rescue training.

The central focus of the exercises was the treatment of severely injured patients. It means that we were concentrating on critically ill, unstable patients in isolated expedition-style cave environments. The cave rescue doctors demonstrated and shared the knowledge and experience they have gathered in treating life-threatening injuries underground. Fortunately, serious cave accidents are rare. As a result, cave rescue doctors only occasionally get the chance to test their skills in real-life situations. Very few people gain direct experience from such incidents, which makes the sharing of knowledge, dilemmas, and hard-earned lessons especially important.

During “Stuck in Baradla – 2026,” the doctors did not only practice medical care. To simulate the realities of prolonged cave rescues, they spent four days bivouacking in an underground camp inside the cave system. This allowed them to experience the distorted sense of time and the relentless 24-hour physical exposure that comes with extended underground operations.

For the non-medical cave rescuers, the focus was equally centered on severely injured patients. Their task was to create the safest possible conditions for transporting trauma-sensitive casualties to the surface, while also developing and practicing rescue systems that would allow the accompanying physician to remain within arm’s reach of an intubated and ventilated patient throughout the entire rescue — even while moving through rope systems.

The exercise became even more international when Saturday’s program reached the Styx branch of the Baradla cave system. Before the Schengen era, this passage was obstructed by a border gate. Today, only water-filled passages, sumps, and deep mud complicate the movement of injured patients there. The exercise concludes on Sunday with the sharing of experiences and the evaluation of lessons learned. We hope that the knowledge and practical experience gained during the training will become part of many rescuers’ professional toolkit — and we also hope that this accumulated expertise will only rarely be needed in real emergencies. But if another large-scale rescue requiring international cooperation does happen, the personal relationships and shared experiences built during exercises like this, will hopefully make cooperation between rescue teams from different countries far easier and more effective.

Photos: dr. Gergely Ambrus, Márton Kovács, Zoltán Tóth 

This year the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service (BMSz) celebrates the 65th anniversary of its founding. We, the currently active cave rescuers – just like the generations before us – work to make caving and cave exploration safer for our community.

Over the course of our operation, we have carried out nearly 600 rescue missions in which cavers, hikers, or paragliders got into trouble in locations so difficult to access that other rescue organizations would hardly have been able to provide effective assistance. Beyond rescue operations, members of the cave rescue services have played a major role in raising the standard of caving training in Hungary to an international level, thereby helping to prevent cave accidents.

Our work focuses on members of the caving and outdoor community, whom we unfortunately meet most often when something has gone wrong. Opportunities to meet at events or demonstrations and to show something of our work are rare.

Earlier this week, our seven-member instructor team returned to Budapest after spending almost two weeks in China delivering a cave rescue training course.

The Grimp Day is a rope rescue competition specifically designed for firefighters. Our connection to this field comes from many years of involvement in training Hungarian firefighters engaged in alpine rescue, and we also count several firefighter supporters among our members. It was at one of these international competitions that the idea emerged to expand our organizational connections beyond cavers from neighboring countries and to establish relations with China—its cavers, cave rescuers, and firefighters as well.

After a long coordination process, this spring we had the opportunity to host five Chinese cavers in Budapest during the basic training course for our newly admitted  members of the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service (BMSz). Following our four-day course, we assured our Chinese friends that despite language barriers they would be welcome at any of our trainings, workshops and exercises.

“Attention! Difficult-to-navigate section of trail secured with chains.” For decades, this is how the editors of tourist maps noted the risks posed by the Rám Gorge. As a result of the 2005 renovation, the rusty chains and ladders were removed from the wild, romantic ravine, and new rest benches, genuinely usable steps, stainless-steel ladders, and handrails were installed at the exposed, truly difficult sections. Over time, the warning signs have also softened: today they mainly indicate the recommended direction of travel, warn of the danger of falling rocks, and advise wearing footwear suitable for the terrain.

Nagytuskó, Széles-Torony, Bunkó, Függő-kő, Felkiáltójel, Árpád trónja — collectively known as the Vadálló Stones—are also popular hiking destinations in the region. On fog- and cloud-free days throughout the year, hikers can enjoy the magnificent panorama, and in spring we can delight in the uniquely beautiful, flowering rocky grasslands on the mountainsides.

This year, the Aggtelek National Park celebrates a remarkable convergence of anniversaries: the Gömör–Torna Karst has been part of the World Heritage for 30 years, the National Park itself turns 40, and it was 200 years ago that Imre Vass passed what was then considered the most promising endpoint of the Baradla Cave – the so-called “Vaskapu” (Iron Gate).

Imre Vass, the “certified surveyor of Gömör County” in the 19th century, was a curious, perhaps somewhat restless man. He often visited the cave opening beneath Baradla Hill, near the village of Aggtelek. His explorations reached the section known as Vaskapu in 1821, where the limitations of contemporary techniques brought him to a halt. “Thus far and no further,” he declared, and left his signature on the spot: “Vass Imre 1821.” This inscription remains visible today, and experienced tour guides can point it out on cave tours. 

Motivation: A few enthusiastic cavers decided they wanted to become cave rescuers. Why? Because they have been caving for many years—each in different clubs and places—but they all share a common motivation and commitment. They are instructors, guides, and exploration leaders, and they often face situations where they see how serious certain scenarios could become. If something happens, it must be solved—whether in a small or large group, using different technical equipment, depending on the situation and available resources. Sometimes this is done with the help of the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service. Luckily, real rescue situations are very rare.

And that’s how it should be. We also know that this is largely thanks to good preparation and regular training. Many of our friends are already members of the rescue organization, so we know who to turn to. Over the years, the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service has developed the most effective method of training…