Students Lost in Cave are Found Alive
The three Arkansas State University students – Casey Sherwood, Daiki Itoh and Daisuke Takagi -- lost in a cave in near Cushman, Ark., have been located alive thanks to the efforts of rescue teams in Independence County. (Arkansas State is in Jonesboro, Ark., and Craighead County)
Acting Chancellor Lynita Cooksey said, “On behalf of all the faculty, students and staff of Arkansas State, I want to thank the rescue teams of Independence County and all the volunteers who came forward to assist. We are so grateful for their hard work in locating Daiki, Daisuke and Casey. I also want to thank all the members of the Arkansas State University family and the Jonesboro community who kept them in their thoughts and prayers all day during the search. We are awaiting further information from the county officials near the cave in Independence County.”
Last night, three A-State students were reported missing in the Batesville cave system in nearby Independence County. Katherine Sherwood, the wife of one of the three students, reported them missing to the A-State University Police Department last evening. Her husband, Casey Sherwood, who is a senior at Arkansas State, was leading the group on the spelunking trip. Two incoming first-year students from Japan, Daiki Itoh and Daisuke Takagi, had joined Casey on the cave trip.
UPD notified the Independence County Sherriff’s Department late Wednesday night to check the area known as Blowing Cave.
Daiki Itoh, 19, is from Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, in Japan
Daisuke Takagi, 18, is from Kawagoe, Hyogo, in Japan
Casey Sherwood, 25, lives in Jonesboro
