U.S. Seaman Rescued From Volcano Crater

Rescue workers, hampered by fog and high winds, descended 650 feet into the crater of Mt. Vesuvius on ropes Monday to rescue a U.S. Navy seaman who became trapped for 10 hours inside the volcano in a vain attempt to rescue a fatally injured shipmate.

Firefighters also hoisted out the body of the other sailor, who died after falling into the 4,000-foot-deep crater Sunday.

Sixth Fleet headquarters identified the rescued sailor as Brett Jacobs, 22, from Kansas City, Mo., who was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and released. The dead sailor was identified as Ralph Underhill, 20. His hometown was not immediately released.

Underhill fell while he and other seamen were on an outing, and Jacobs descended into the crater to rescue him, officials said. Underhill was believed to have died of multiple fractures about three hours after the fall.

Jacobs reached his colleague but was trapped on the same slope that broke Underhill’s fall, a Navy spokesman said.