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A trio of cavers emerged unharmed following a subterranean mission extending over 30 hours during "appalling conditions" during the tempest.

The veteran spelunkers found themselves stuck within the challenging cave system, in the vicinity of the Yorkshire Dales.

Concerns were reported at 22:00 BST Thursday night as their expected return didn't happen and a family member notified emergency services.

Emergency response teams stated over 100 volunteers were involved during the challenging mission, that faced obstacles due to storm impacts, water ingress, difficult landscape plus extended periods underground.

When rescuers located the cavers in the predawn period that Friday, swelling water conditions indicated the easiest exit route was inaccessible, requiring the rescuers and the cavers to backtrack.

Mission coordinator detailed that if they'd located the cavers just an hour or two earlier, everyone might have made it safely by morning.

"Regrettably the storm took an unexpected turn for us," he stated.

"The main threat remained flooding and possibly in specific areas underground, submersion.

"Had the water level risen in those places, conditions would have turned exceptionally risky."

Neighbouring response units were called for assistance, such as various professional emergency groups.

Subterranean crews rotated continuously to lead the exhausted cavers to the surface, meanwhile surface crews experienced "appalling" weather to keep contact while also manage logistics.

During the operation, rescue personnel erected a barrier with waterproof material to channel increasing waters around the access point.

First trapped individual emerged safely at 15:30 BST that Friday, then the next around 2:30 AM that Saturday and the third subsequently.

All three individuals sustained injuries though operational commander stated they suffered from fatigue after being chilled and soaked throughout the ordeal.

"Requires resilient individuals to withstand such conditions," he noted.

Rescue personnel finally stood down at 07:45.

While severe weather was predicted to arrive later that week, rescue officials explained the expedition organized by the cavers was "completely justifiable" considering their expertise plus atmospheric circumstances initially.

Yet, significant precipitation arrived earlier plus more severely than forecast.

The men disclosed important specifics of their route – from Providence Pot to their destination – ahead of their expedition, and rescue coordinators confirmed these details "saved the day".

"Without that phone call from the relative, awareness would have been delayed these guys were overdue before somebody saw vehicles left near the entrance over an extended period," he continued.