Trever Col, a student at Purdue University, passed away on Saturday, November 23 during a climbing accident inside of a cave in Alabama, according to a statement from the university. The 21-year-old senior fell more than 200 feet inside of the cave while attempting to repel down, according to reports.
“They’re all cavers,” said Jackson County Sheriff Chuck Phillips. “They do this for fun and sport. They were all going to go down in the cave and they were in the pit more-less a vertical drop.”
Col was a mechanical engineering student in the Honors College, on track to receive a BS in 2020, and an MS in 2021.
According to the school’s website:
It is with deep sadness that we announce Trever Col, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, passed away on Saturday, November 23: https://t.co/WtxZfA9XAK pic.twitter.com/xccAlpWZP7
— Purdue Mechanical Engineering (@PurdueME) November 25, 2019
Originally from Austin, Texas, Trever Col was a mechanical engineering student in the Honors College, on track to receive a BS in 2020, and an MS in 2021. He was involved in the Formula SAE racing team, and the Purdue Outing Club. He also spent the last semester studying in China at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the summer as an intern at Siemens in Norwood, Ohio. The School of Mechanical Engineering sends our deepest condolences to Trever’s family and friends.
Col is one of three cavers to die inside of Alabama’s Valhalla Cave in Jackson County. He was reportedly attempting to fix his rope when he fell to his death because the rigging came loose while rappelling due to a knot in the rope. Col was an experienced caver and had the proper permits required to enter the cave.
Our deepest condolences go out to Col’s family and friends.
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