BRITISH DIVER, 43, FOUND DEAD NEARLY 300FT UNDERWATER AFTER VANISHING DURING HIS 1,000TH CAVE DIVE IN FRANCE

A British cave diver has been found dead nearly 300 feet underwater after disappearing during what was supposed to be a milestone 1,000th dive in a vast underground cave system in France.

Andrew Rice, 43, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, entered the Gouffre de Saint-Sauveur near Calès in southwestern France at around 3:30 p.m. on September 18.

He was part of a group of experienced cave divers exploring the submerged network when he failed to return to the surface.

A major search operation was launched, but two days later rescuers made the heartbreaking discovery.

A SEARCH FOR A DIVER WHO NEVER CAME BACK

Andrew entered the cave system alongside two other divers, who later returned safely to the group.

When Andrew had still not emerged by around 8 p.m., his fellow divers raised the alarm.

French emergency services launched a large-scale operation involving specialist cave divers, firefighters, gendarmes and members of the French cave-rescue organisation Spéléo Secours Français.

The search was complicated by the extreme conditions inside the submerged cave, including narrow passages and severely reduced visibility.

At one point, rescuers hoped Andrew may have reached an underwater air chamber around 260 feet below the surface and taken refuge there.

Specialist divers searched the chamber, but there was no sign of him.

HIS BODY WAS FOUND 289 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE

After an intensive two-day search, Andrew’s body was located on September 20 at a depth of approximately 88 metres — around 289 feet — inside the cave system.

Reports said he was found in a narrow section of the flooded cave, with his body caught in a guideline used by cave divers to navigate through submerged passages.

The recovery operation itself proved extremely difficult.

Disturbed clay had clouded the water, dramatically reducing visibility, while the configuration of the cave made it challenging for rescuers to reach and recover him.

Authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death, but his cause of death has not yet been established.

HE HAD BEEN PREPARING FOR HIS 1,000TH DIVE

The tragedy came during a trip that held particular significance for Andrew.

An experienced technical and rebreather diver, he had been documenting his dives in France on social media in the days leading up to his disappearance.

On September 9, he wrote about returning to France to continue unfinished diving projects and hoped to complete his 1,000th dive.

On the morning of his final dive, Andrew posted that he had completed one more equipment test and was feeling confident about the operation of a newly fitted needle valve.

He then wrote that he was ready for the “Big one” — his planned Dive #1000.

A PASSION BUILT OVER YEARS

Andrew had been diving since 2010 and had developed a particular passion for technical and underwater cave diving.

He was also a former potholer and was involved with the Cave Diving Group and the InDepth Dive Club, where he served as deputy training officer and an open-water instructor, according to specialist diving publication Divernet.

Fellow divers described him as a highly experienced and meticulous diver.

In the days before his death, he had completed another deep cave penetration reaching more than 1,100 metres from the entrance, with depths approaching 90 metres.

HEARTBREAKING TRIBUTES

News of Andrew’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from friends and fellow divers.

One person wrote that they were “totally gutted” and struggling to accept that they would never see Andrew again.

Another described the incident as devastating and sent their thoughts to everyone involved.

For those who knew Andrew, his final expedition was not simply another dive.

It was intended to mark a remarkable personal milestone after years spent exploring some of the world’s most challenging underwater environments.

Instead, his 1,000th dive became his last.

French authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, while rescue teams face the difficult task of recovering his body from the deep and confined cave system.