It was the deputy prefect of Largentière, Rampon Jean, who announced the sad news after the debriefing of the two Britons on their return.

This dive was considered the last chance to "make contact", bypassing the landslide which trapped Eric Establie, explained Eric Zipper, Chief of the Cave Rescue effort on site.

Throughout the rescue operation hopes had remained alive that Mr Establie, a world caving expert and professional deep sea diver who owned a specialised underwater engineering business, would be found alive.

On Saturday the divers said they heard a tapping noise, adding impetus to the ultimately doomed rescue operation.

An outstanding lifeguard.
Diver by profession, Eric Establie ran a maritime and underwater construction company at Cannes. Establie had worked as a volunteer rescue diver for SSF for four years, and last year himself recovered a dead caver from underground.

In June 2001, the caver Patrick Mugnier came out of the abyss of Fontanilles (Hérault), five days after he went missing. He had to cross 1.5 km dive into deep water 15 meters. Before him, in November 1999, seven cavers trapped in the abyss of Vitarelle (Lot) managed to escape after ten days. Their rescue was then considered "the most complex ever undertaken in France."

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