The body of a cave diver has been recovered more than 24 hours after he drowned.
South Australian police were alerted about 10.30am on Sunday that a 65-year-old man from Victoria had drowned while diving in Tank Cave, near Tantanoola.
Officers from the Water Operations Unit worked with specialist divers from the Cave Divers Association of Australia to retrieve his body about 3.30pm on Monday.
Members of the rescue team included renowned cave diver Dr Richard Harris OAM, who famously helped rescue twelve boys and their football coach from a flood cave in Thailand in 2018.
The 65-year-old was one of three highly qualified divers swimming through the cave system when a rock fell underwater.
SA Police had previously said officers hoped the diver’s body would be recovered on Monday, but that was not guaranteed.
“Another dive is currently underway or will occur this afternoon,” Superintendent Trent Cox told a news conference earlier Monday.
“Fatigue for divers will quickly become a problem for them, so while we hope we can recover his body today, that is not guaranteed.”
Tank Cave is located approximately 25 km from Mount Gambier and is one of 32 dive sites on the Limestone Coast.
Chief Inspector Cox said police were called to the scene to a drowning but the circumstances surrounding the man’s death would be subject to further investigation.
“The coronal process is all about determining the cause of death, what led to it, but when it comes to whether a stone fell or something like that, it’s too early to say I’m scared,” he said.
‘The cave system… is extremely complex. It is a labyrinth of tunnels – large, small, with varying degrees of accessibility.
‘It’s a complex scene [and we’re] very aware of the trauma that family experiences.’
The 65-year-old’s body was found in a part of the cave system known as P7.
The other two divers who swam with the Victorian man were ‘understandably traumatised’.
“They knew each other well,” said Chief Cox.
More to come…
The body of a 65-year-old diver has been recovered from Tank Cave
