Teens get lost in Paris catacombs, rescued three days later
- 7 years ago
PARIS — Two teenagers were rescued on Wednesday morning after being trapped in the underground ossuaries in Paris for three days.
The catacombs in Paris hold the remains of more than six million people, but only a small portion of the catacombs are open to the public.
According to Le Parisien, the two teenagers entered an unauthorized part of the catacombs and did not contact their family for 72 hours. Their family then informed the authorities.
The two teenagers spent three days in the dark and cold narrow passageways and developed hypothermia from temperatures as low as 15 degrees celsius, the BBC reported. They were found on Wednesday morning after Paris fire service officers used tracker dogs to locate them, ending the four-hour search.
Le Parisien reported that a 45-year-old man died previously died of a heart attack during a party inside the catacombs held by a group of five cataphiles. The term “cataphile” refers to enthusiasts of the catacombs.
Human remains were transported from the Cemetery of the Innocent to the catacombs in 1786, after the cemetery was closed due to overuse. Parts of the catacombs have been a tourist attraction since the late 18th Century.
The catacombs in Paris hold the remains of more than six million people, but only a small portion of the catacombs are open to the public.
According to Le Parisien, the two teenagers entered an unauthorized part of the catacombs and did not contact their family for 72 hours. Their family then informed the authorities.
The two teenagers spent three days in the dark and cold narrow passageways and developed hypothermia from temperatures as low as 15 degrees celsius, the BBC reported. They were found on Wednesday morning after Paris fire service officers used tracker dogs to locate them, ending the four-hour search.
Le Parisien reported that a 45-year-old man died previously died of a heart attack during a party inside the catacombs held by a group of five cataphiles. The term “cataphile” refers to enthusiasts of the catacombs.
Human remains were transported from the Cemetery of the Innocent to the catacombs in 1786, after the cemetery was closed due to overuse. Parts of the catacombs have been a tourist attraction since the late 18th Century.