Hopes of finding a cave diver alive after a perilous exploration in the Pyrénées-Orientales region have faded. After three days of intensive searches, rescue teams have found no clues to locate the 45-year-old man who disappeared in the Font-Estramar cave system in Salses-le-Château, where he entered on Sunday at midday.
Firefighters and cave diving specialists have carried out numerous dives since the alarm was raised by his family late Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday, a final exploration was conducted by divers from the French Cave Rescue Service, without success, despite a meticulous inspection of key areas of the submerged cave system.
A site known for its danger
The search focused in particular on the last accessible air pocket, located several hundred meters from the entrance, as well as the tunnels leading to it. These checks failed to locate the diver, leading authorities to announce the end of the operational rescue phase.
Font-Estramar is an iconic but feared cave in the world of cave diving. A veritable underwater labyrinth, the site has already been the scene of several fatal accidents in the last decade, highlighting the extreme risks associated with this type of exploration.
