By Sam Bradbrook and Daniel Keane, ABC
The man died while diving at Tank Cave. Photo: ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook
The body of a man who died while cave diving in South Australia's south-east has now been recovered, police say.
The 65-year-old Victorian man died in Tank Cave, which is near Tantanoola and where emergency services were called on Sunday morning.
His death prompted a significant recovery operation involving the SA Police Water Operations Unit, specialists from the Cave Divers Association of Australia and Thai cave rescue hero Richard Harris.
Police earlier said it was possible but not guaranteed that the diver's body would be retrieved, but in a statement, confirmed the recovery had occurred.
They said they were initially called to the scene following reports of a drowning, but Superintendent Trent Cox said the circumstances that led to the man's death would be investigated.
"The coronial process is all about determining the cause of death, what led to it, but in terms of whether there was a rock fall or anything like that, it's too early to tell I'm afraid," he said at a press conference on Monday.
"The cave system… is extremely complex. It's a labyrinth of tunnels - big, small, of varying degrees of accessibility.
"It's a complex scene [and we're] very mindful of the trauma that family is experiencing."
Superintendent Cox said the man, whose body was found at a site known as P7, was part of a group of three, all of whom were "experienced cave divers".
He said the other two were also "understandably traumatised".
"They were well known to one another," he said.
The cave is about 25 kilometres from Mount Gambier and is one of 32 diving locations in the region.
Police said two members of its Water Operations Unit had played a support role, with the actual retrieval undertaken by divers from the Cave Divers Association of Australia.
Retired anaesthetist and cave diver Dr Harris, who came to public prominence after using his medical training to help rescue 12 young football players and their coach from a flooded cave system in northern Thailand in 2018, was also on scene.
Superintendent Cox said the 2019 joint Australian of the Year had been assisting "by lending his expertise".
"He's obviously got great expertise in this area with his history, but he's also part of a larger group and it's very much a team effort," he said.
- ABC
