A British rescue team has finally recovered the body of the Polish man who died while cave diving in Co Galway, some six days after he was first reported missing.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, 34-year-old expert cave diver Artur Kozlowski failed to re-emerge from a dive near Gort on 5 September.

His body was located last Tuesday evening in the deepest section of the cave, some 52m below the surface.

But it took till Saturday for a team of cave rescue experts to safety recover the body from the narrow passage nearly 1km into the cavern.

Three British caving experts worked with the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation and gardaí on the dangerous operation.

The Speleological Union of Ireland offered its condolences to Kozlowski and his family, who have travelled to Ireland.

In a statement, it said: “This is an unforgiving sport requiring extreme mental and physical fitness, but it was Artur’s passion.”

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

The body of award winning cave diver Artur Kozwolski has been recovered six days after he was reported missing in a Galway cave. His body was brought to the surface yesterday by a Brititsh specialist cave team who were hampered by siltation in the cave system. Lorna Siggins in the Irish Times has the story here.

Efforts are resuming today to recover the body of a Polish man who died while cave diving near Gort in Co Galway.

The Irish Independent reports that Artur Kozlowski, 34, failed to emerge as expected from the flooded cave he was exploring solo on Monday afternoon. 

His body was located yesterday evening by rescuers in the deepest section of the cave, 52m below the surface.

Cave Diver Artur Kozlowski

Kozlowski - known to friends as Artur Conrad - had been living in Ireland for several years and was regarded as one of Ireland's most experienced cave divers. He was previously highlighted on Afloat.ie for his lecture on cave diving at NUI Galway late last year.

He was also the holder of a number of diving records in the UK and Ireland, including longest and deepest traverse of a cave at 103m.

He had spent the last two years exploring the subterranean cave network in south Galway, and was on the final day of an expedition this week when tragedy struck.

Friend and diver Jim Warney, who found Kozlowski, said it took an hour to locate the body in a narrow passage. His oxygen tanks - which were known to have enough air for at least six hours - and a guide rope were still attached.

Rescuers have requested assistance from a UK dive rescue team to help recover the body.

The Irish Independent has more on the story HERE.