The Last Dive of Paul Heinz Esser in Porth yr Ogof Cave. Body recovered after 39 years
| Incident Location | Diver Full Name |
|---|---|
| Wales, Ystradfellte Village, Porth yr Ogof Cave | Paul Heinz Esser |
In 1971, Paul Heinz Esser embarked on a dive with three other trainees, but tragically lost his safety line and drowned while exploring the Porth yr Ogof cave. His body remained underground for nearly 40 years until it was recovered in 2010. Let’s delve into the details of this harrowing story.
The Porth yr Ogof Cave
The Porth yr Ogof cave is located near Ystradfellte Village, close to the southern boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. This cave system measures over 1.4 miles in length and features 15 entrances. The main entrance, known as the largest entrance in Wales and one of the largest in the UK, is 66 feet wide and 26 feet high. Divers can enter the cave through this entrance or the tradesmen’s entrance. The cave is mostly filled with water, including a deep pool called the White Horse pool, which has several flooded passages. Unfortunately, this cave holds the second-highest death records in the UK or Ireland due to its strong currents and cold water.
Paul Heinz Esser’s Dive
On February 13, 1971, Paul Heinz Esser, a 21-year-old medical student at Bristol University, set off for a cave diving exploration at Porth yr Ogof. Paul was a skilled open water diver who had developed an interest in cave diving. He was considered one of the upcoming experts in the cave diving community. Paul, along with three other trainees, planned to dive from the tradesmen’s entrance to the Robel chamber and back to the tradesmen’s entrance.
Preparations and Dive Plan
Before his adventure, Paul sought information about the cave from John Parker, who was knowledgeable about the cave systems. John had explored the cave on September 26, 1970, and laid a blue tagged line from the top entrance upstream for about 469 feet. He hid the belay underwater inside the top entrance. Paul and his diving companion, Lloyd, went to the top entrance in search of John’s belay but were unable to find it. They assumed it had been washed downstream.
Paul entered the cave alone through the tradesmen’s entrance, carrying diving equipment and a single 1200-liter gas cylinder. He planned to wind a loose line as he swam upstream from the Robel chamber, eventually exiting through the top entrance. However, his diving line broke near the tradesmen’s entrance, and he had to mend it with a shorter line.
The Tragic Mistake
After approximately 15 minutes, the other three divers entered the cave and reached the Robel chamber, where they met Paul. Paul had collected several lines that he wanted to wind on the spare reel. While winding a thin line without tags, he accidentally dropped the guideline he was following, which was meant to lead him back to the base. Mistakenly believing that the blue tagline he had found would lead him to the top entrance, he continued reeling it in. This proved to be a grave mistake.
Paul had ventured approximately 98 feet upstream before realizing that he had dropped his guideline. By this point, he had also dropped his line reel and lost his sense of direction. Unfortunately, he failed to check his air tank, which would have indicated how much air he had left. Exhausted and disoriented, Paul desperately searched for an exit but was unsuccessful. He ultimately ran out of air and drowned in the cave.
Recovery Efforts
When Paul did not return as planned, the other divers knew something had gone wrong and called for a recovery team. However, poor visibility and the risky nature of the water made it impossible for the team to retrieve Paul’s body from the cave. For 39 years, his remains remained undiscovered. In 2010, at the request of Paul’s surviving family members, the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team successfully recovered his body from the cave. The family undertaker received the body for proper burial beside his parents’ grave.
Conclusion
Paul Heinz Esser’s tragic story serves as a reminder of the dangers involved in cave diving. Despite his promising future as a skilled diver, a series of unfortunate events and mistakes led to his untimely death. The recovery operation in 2010 was made possible due to advancements in technology that were unavailable in 1971. Today, the cave serves as a memorial site, with visitors paying their respects to Paul’s memory.
Before your next dive, consider insurance – it’s like having a dive buddy for unexpected challenges. Dive safe, dive covered. Explore options here
FAQ
The Porth yr Ogof cave is located near Estria Village, close to the southern boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. It is a cave system measuring over 1.4 miles in length, featuring 15 entrances. The main entrance, known as the largest entrance in Wales and one of the largest in the UK, is 66 feet wide and 26 feet high. The cave is mostly filled with water and contains a deep pool called the White Horse pool.
On February 13, 1971, Paul Heinz Esser, a skilled open water diver and medical student, embarked on a cave diving exploration at Porth yr Ogof. He planned to dive from the tradesmen’s entrance to the Robel chamber and back. Unfortunately, while winding a thin line without tags, he dropped his guideline and mistakenly followed a different line, thinking it would lead him to the top entrance. As a result, he became disoriented, ran out of air, and drowned in the cave.
When Paul did not return as planned, the other divers called for a recovery team. However, poor visibility and the dangerous conditions in the cave made it impossible to retrieve his body at the time. For 39 years, his remains remained undiscovered. In 2010, at the request of Paul’s family, the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team successfully recovered his body from the cave. He was then given a proper burial beside his parents’ grave.
The Porth yr Ogof cave has gained a reputation for being dangerous due to its strong currents and cold water. It holds the second-highest death records in the UK or Ireland. The cave’s challenging conditions, including deep water and flooded passages, pose risks to divers, especially those who are not experienced in cave diving.
Paul Heinz Esser’s tragic story serves as a reminder of the dangers involved in cave diving. The cave where he lost his life now serves as a memorial site, with visitors paying their respects to his memory. His recovery in 2010 was made possible by advancements in technology that were unavailable in 1971. His untimely death and the subsequent recovery efforts highlight the importance of safety and preparation in cave diving.
