A university student licked moisture from the walls of a cave to survive after getting trapped for nearly three days.

Lukas Cavar, 19, has told how he feared for his life after becoming separated from the rest of his college caving or spelunking club while on beginner's expedition south of his university's main campus in Bloomington, Indiana.

On reaching the cave's gated entrance he found it locked and his cries for help went unheard. He was also unable to get a signal on his mobile phone.

While he had a head torch and some sunlight reached the cave, he had no food or water.

Mr Cavar said: "I managed to get some water from the cave walls, by basically licking the moisture off the wall."


He added: "My biggest worry was not making it out alive.

"I was afraid I would never see my friends or family again."

A search was launched after it was noticed he was missing and he was eventually found, nearly 72 hours after his ordeal started, curled in a ball asleep by the cave's entrance.

Mr Cavar said: "The first thing I wanted to do was eat and drink and put on some warm clothes."

He plans to give up spelunking.

According to the Indiana Daily Student university newspaper, leaders of the caving club would not comment on how he became separated from the rest of the group.

The university had also not responded with a comment.