March 26th, 2004
By John Rice, Associated Press

Photo: Four of the six British military cave divers, in black suits and helmets, stand with rescue workers after being rescued in Cuetzalan Del Progreso, Mexico on Thursday, March 25, 2004. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

CUETZALAN, Mexico — Divers on Thursday rescued six British cavers trapped for more than a week in a flooded cavern, ending concerns about their safety but not a diplomatic row.

Four of the cavers are members of the British armed forces and one is a former member. The Mexican government is upset that it was not told in advance what they were doing on its soil.

Emerging from a labyrinth of tunnels, the cavers said they were embarrassed by the international attention.

President Vicente Fox has asked for a "swift explanation" of why the foreign soldiers were training in the cave complex about 100 miles northeast of Mexico City. The country does not allow foreign military exercises on its soil. The divers said they were exploring.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-cavers26mar26,1,5347792.story?coll=la-headlines-world