Urban tunnel explorer drowns after storm washes group into river, Minnesota cops say

A Minnesota man exploring tunnels underneath Saint Paul drowned after heavy rain washed him, and other members of his group, into the Mississippi River on Sunday.

According to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, the man and four others were inside of a tunnel adjacent to the river when a thunderstorm rolled in. Two managed to escape to the surface while the others were dragged away by rushing waters.

Around 1 a.m., the sheriff’s office received a call from someone near the Marshall Avenue bridge saying that “their friends may have drowned in the Mississippi River.”

Minnesota, and Saint Paul in particular, is a popular destination for subterranean exploration, the Minnesota Daily reported in 2017. An expansive network of tunnels lies beneath the city, some in use and some abandoned, including a 70-mile web referred to as the Labyrinth.

First responders from four separate departments arrived at the scene to help with rescue and recovery efforts, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities rescued all but one of the tunnel explorers by 4 a.m., at which point the search was put on hold until light conditions improved.

Search efforts resumed around 7.a.m., the sheriff’s office said. Four hours after that, deputies recovered a body from the water near the bridge.

The incident is being investigated and the man’s identity will be released later by the county coroner, RCSO said.

The city’s underground is an Instagram-worthy attraction and a draw for certain types of Youtubers, much to the chagrin of seasoned explorers who are often as tight-lipped as they are territorial about their niche hobby, the Minnesota Daily reported. And safety isn’t guaranteed.

“That’s where the real danger lies,” University of Minnesota Police Department Lt. Erik Swanson told the outlet. “Because you don’t know what’s down there.”

This story was originally published August 30, 2021 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Urban tunnel explorer drowns after storm washes group into river, Minnesota cops say."