Five people have been trapped 200 feet underground for more than 24 hours at the Grand Canyon Caverns after an elevator stopped working, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.
Although there is an alternative way out when the elevator malfunctions, the five tourists were not able to climb 20 flights of stairs to reach above ground due to medical conditions, according to Coconino Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jon Paxton.
Workers have been attempting to fix the elevator since the malfunction occurred on Sunday night, including by hooking it up an external generator on Monday, but that effort was unsuccessful, Paxton said.
The inability of the generator to help has led experts to conclude that the problem is not electrical but is most likely mechanical, according to ABC News.
The sheriff's office is also weighing the possibility of trying to use a harness to lift the five tourists out of the caverns through the elevator shaft, the New York Post reported.
The spokesperson explained to CNN that “we have a search and rescue team standing by, as well as a hoisting apparatus to lift people out if the repairs take longer than expected or if people are not comfortable staying down there.”
The caverns are located in Peach Springs, Arizona, which is about 65 miles northeast of Kingman.
While they are trapped, the tourists are able to stay inside an underground suite, which is part of a hotel suite and restaurant at the tourist attraction, according to the Post.
The suite, which costs $1,000 a night, is designed for six people to sleep there, has two queen beds, a futon, a bathroom and a kitchenette with both a microwave and a refrigerator.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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