Expelled cavers return home to UK

The six British cavers rescued in Mexico flew back into Heathrow

Thirteen UK cavers held in Mexico have flown home after being expelled for visa offences.

They were held for three days after six of them were trapped for days in caves.

The Mexican authorities held the men after deciding the thirteen had violated their tourist visas by being on a military training expedition.

Expedition leader Major Steve Whitlock said the group had entered Mexico on tourist visas to simply participate in their chosen passion - caving.

The Mexican authorities had now reclassified caving as a science which was, he said: "a means of expelling us from the country".

The only thing we were doing in Mexico was enjoying the sport of caving Major Steve Whitlock

Armando Salinas, Mexico's Assistant Interior Secretary, said the men were expelled because they failed to reveal the real nature of their trip.

While stating they were in Mexico as tourists, they "carried out activities of exploration, scientific study and training", Mr Salinas said.

Mexico had demanded a full explanation of what the men were doing in the country, with some officials suspecting them of searching for uranium in the caves.

Click here to see how the team became trapped

Maj Whitlock said: "The only thing we were doing in Mexico was enjoying the sport of caving."

Maj Whitlock said they were well treated for most of their detention.

All the men were in good spirits

However the group did complain to human rights groups in Mexico, largely about sleep deprivation.

Expulsion from Mexico means the men would not be allowed to return for a number of years.

Six members of the team were trapped inside a cave by floodwaters for nine days near Puebla, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of the capital.

They declined local offers of rescue, instead waiting for two specialist British divers who flew to Mexico. They were finally rescued on Thursday.

All the cavers were immediately arrested on suspicion of violating their tourist visas by carrying out a mapping exercise.

Maj Whitlock said once the expedition team had explained the complex nature of the sump the Mexican divers "didn't believe they could help us."

A rescue from such as sump had been practised in the UK which was why it made sense to wait for the UK team, he said.

Rescue

The men have always insisted they had done nothing wrong.

Team member Jonathan Sims, 41, said he felt their detention was used as a means of masking internal problems within Mexico.

Mexico's President Vicente Fox intervened in the affair, saying he was unhappy with explanations for their activity in the caves

The men were members of a 13-strong team from the Combined Services Caving Association (CSCA), and four are serving in the British military.

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