Caver's Body 'Brought- up' After 39 Years

A caver's body has been brought to the surface after lying underground for more than 39 years.

Paul Heinz Esser died while cave diving in Porth yr ogof in the south of the Brecon Beacons national park.

The remains of the trainee diver were recovered last week by two members of the South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team.

Mr Esser was a 21-year-old medical student at Bristol University at the time of his death on 13 February 1971.

Powys coroner Peter Maddox recorded a verdict of accidental death.

According to reports following Mr Esser's death in 1971, it was understood that he had followed the wrong line as he made for an exit, and ran out of air.

Investigators concluded Mr Esser, who had progressed from open water diving to cave diving, had followed a fixed line that had become detached and washed downstream, erroneously thinking it would lead him along a safe route.

Family members were present at the site, near Ystradfellte, when his body was brought above ground. Several attempts had been made in the past to find and recover his body.

A spokeswoman for Dyfed Powys Police said: "Although he was located at that time in the caves, his body was never able to be recovered despite several attempts over the following weeks and as a result he has remained in the location he died."

Porth yr ogof has the reputation of the second most deadly cave in modern British potholing and has claimed at least 10 lives since 1957.

Most have died at a pool of water known as the Resurgence Pool used by some to exit the caves.

In 2002, the pool claimed the life of apprentice army mechanic Kevin Sharman, who was just 17-years-old.

The tragedy led to a lengthy court trial before the trainee's instructor was cleared of causing the recruit's death.

(LB/GK)