British cavers rescued - then held as row with Mexico grows

The six Britons trapped in a Mexican cave system were rescued overnight, and then detained as diplomatic tension mounted over the expedition.

The six Britons trapped in a Mexican cave system were rescued overnight, and then detained as diplomatic tension mounted over the expedition.

Less than 24 hours after the Mexican President, Vicente Fox, questioned the legitimacy of the military expedition, the British ambassador in Mexico dismissed suggestions that the Ministry of Defence was at fault as "pure fantasy".

Two British divers, dispatched by the MoD, entered the caves yesterday and led the trapped explorers to safety one-by-one. The five military cavers and a civilian guide had been preparing to spend their ninth night 90 metres underground in the Alpazat cave system in the mountain town of Cuetzalan, central Mexico.

Shortly after the rescue, Mexican authorities announced the entire 13-strong team, which included servicemen, would be detained and quizzed about possible breaches in visa laws.

Mexico's assistant interior secretary Armando Salinas said today the explorers were being transported to a military hospital in the nearby city of Puebla before agents from the National Immigration Institute escorted the team to a migration detention centre in the Mexican capital where they would be questioned and held pending a full investigation.

Mr Salinas refused to say what punishment the Britons could face, but said under the migration law they could be expelled or jailed if they had broken visa laws.

The diplomatic dispute began after the group rejected assistance from the Mexican rescue authorities when they became trapped on 17 March, saying they had sufficient supplies and equipment.

Members of the group were visiting the country on tourist visas, despite their intention to map the caves as part of a military expedition. Mexico does not allow foreign military exercises on its soil and special visas are required for scientific teams.

Mr Fox requested a letter of protest be sent to the British Government to clarify the purpose and legitimacy of the visit.

Mr Rangarajan dismissed concerns that the cavers were doing anything other than exploring. "I think we just need to talk to the Mexican government and find out what their problems are," he said. "If they're having problems down here, we'll have to look very carefully in the future [to see] if permits are needed."

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said a message was returned to the Mexican government clarifying the status and the visas of the divers. "Contacts were made before the trip with the British embassy, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence," he said. "Our understanding was that this caving expedition did not require any special clearance [and] that mapping falls within the category of exploring rather than scientific research."

The cave diving group - a scientist, a retired officer and members of the Army, the Navy and the Royal Air Force - was three days into an expedition organised by the Combined Services Caving Association when they became trapped. Seven other members of the expedition, which was supported by the Royal Geographical Society, were stationed above ground when floods blocked the exit.