A Dutch speleologist dies during an exploration in the resurgence of the Ressel in Marcilhac-sur-Célé
A sexagenarian of Dutch origin lost his life in Marcilhac-sur-Célé, this Sunday, in the resurgence of Ressel where other accidents have already occurred. This man was doing an exploration dive with a group of five people. His death was found in the early afternoon as firefighters desperately tried to extricate him from the bottom of the resurgence.
This Sunday, shortly after 2 p.m., the Cajarc firefighters and gendarmes were alerted to intervene quickly in Marcilhac-sur-Célé where a caving accident had just been reported to them. This occurred in the resurgence of the Célé where several speleologists had various fortunes.
There, the situation was quickly considered very serious. A Dutch diver, aged around sixty according to the police involved, was unconscious at the bottom of the water. A few minutes after the arrival of help and their first observations, the death of the unfortunate speleologist was no longer in doubt. Firefighters from Lacapelle-Marival, Cahors, Figeac and Lalbenque also intervened as reinforcements.
An exploration and leisure dive
According to the first elements of the investigation, this man was not present on this spot for an exercise, but indeed for an exploration and leisure dive. He was an experienced athlete who had practiced this discipline for more than 25 years.
The alert was given by one of the four other divers who accompanied him. Those, in full distress, had no other recourse to try to save their friend prisoner of the rock and the waters. Diving firefighters had the mission to raise the body. Their efforts were in vain.
A delicate operation to extract the body from the resurgence
At the end of the afternoon, it was obviously very difficult to remove the body of the deceased positioned in a sector of the resurgence that was difficult to access. From now on, it is at the request of the public prosecutor Alexandre Rossi that a team of speleologists must in turn intervene to extract the body from the resurgence where it is still stuck.
This operation could take long hours tonight or during the day on Monday. For its part, the Lot gendarmerie has opened an investigation to shed light on this dramatic caving accident.
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