A horrific diagram shows how a man died in the 'most horrifying way imaginable' after he got stuck in a caving incident.
On 25 November 2009, medical student John Edward Jones decided to explore the Nutty Putty Cave in Utah, US, along with some friends and his brother.
The hydrothermal cave was first discovered in 1960 by Dale Green, and it became notorious amongst thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies alike for its infamously challenging and narrow passageways, once attracting as many as 5,000 visitors a year.
However, it was sealed forever following the unsettling death of 26-year-old Jones - an accident which has become infamous as the 'Nutty Putty Incident'.
What happened?
After Jones and his group entered the cave, they decided to explore an area known as the 'Big Slide' before heading to a passageway called 'The Birth Canal', which had a turnaround at the bottom.
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While extremely tight, it was navigable - but tragically, Jones accidentally went the wrong way and ended up in an unmapped part of the cave under the false impression that he was in the turnaround.
He became trapped headfirst in the dead-end crevice, which measured just 10 by 18 inches.
Rescue attempts
Jones' brother, Josh, noticed that he was in danger and quickly surfaced to try and get some help, but the wrong turn marked the start of a horrific chain of events that ultimately led to the young man's death.
A first responder also described Jones' harrowing final moments, with a local rescue volunteer detailing his final words.
For 27 hours, rescuers did all they could to try and free Jones from the rocks, but their efforts came to no avail, and he passed away from a cardiac arrest due to the pressure of being stuck for so long.
During a reprieve from efforts, Jones’ family members had the chance to say their goodbyes via a radio broadcast.
The diagram
A diagram showing how Jones was stuck upside down in the Nutty Putty Cave for 27 hours before tragically passing away has gone viral across social media time and time again since 2009, with many still in total shock of what went down that fateful day.
"This is *so* much worse than I was imagining," penned one Reddit user, while a second chimed in: "When you see the diagrams, it literally turns your stomach."
"This story has haunted me for years," confessed a third.
A fourth commented: "This is a nightmare, I didn't think it was this bad. I can't believe how nice and collected he was till the end, I think I would have lost my mind."
What happened to John Jones' body?
Because of where John's body was located in the cave, officials deemed it too dangerous to attempt to retrieve him from the cave, so the entrance was sealed along with his remains.
To make sure that no one would be able to enter the cave, it was collapsed using controlled explosive devices.
Now, those who visit the site will find a memorial for John, as well as a plaque to honour his memory for his family.
Rhiannon Ingle