Record-breaking cave diver, 56, dies while exploring America’s deepest underwater cave after last seen 570 FEET underground tying a guide rope and separated
- Brett Hemphill was last seen on October 4th tying a guide line at a depth of approximately 570 feet.
- However, he was separated from his team, who began a desperate search to find him
- His body was recovered four days later, and friends flooded his social media with heartbreaking messages
A skilled diver drowned while exploring an underwater cave system in Texas, believed to be the deepest of its kind in the United States.
Brett Hemphill, 56, of Florida, died on October 4 at 10:45 am. his dive into Phantom Springs Cave begins.
He was last seen tying a guide rope at a depth of about 570 feet, but the team he was with became separated, and Hemphill never returned from the dive.
Other divers began a desperate search to locate him, venturing more than 450 feet and a mile into the cave to find him. His body was recovered four days later.
Hemphill set a record in 2013 while exploring the same cave system, diving nearly 8,000 feet to a depth of 465 feet.
Brett Hemphill, 56, of Florida, began his dive in Phantom Springs Cave at 10:45 a.m. on October 4.
Hemphill drowned while exploring an underwater cave system in Texas, believed to be the deepest of its kind in the United States.
He has explored and mapped water caves for more than two decades.
He also served as president of Karst Underwater Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the research and protection of underwater ecosystems.
“We finished recovering Brett from the cave tonight,” cave explorer and anesthetist Andy Pitkin wrote on the Karst Facebook page.
‘Thanks to everyone who contributed in any way. When we have obtained and analyzed all the information, we will issue a statement about the incident that will answer everyone’s questions.
“Until then, please give us some time to get over his loss, because until now we have been focused on the recovery.”
Emmy-winning photographer Becky Kagan Schott, who has worked with Hemphill since she was 18, posted a touching tribute to the late diver.
Hemphill also served as president of Karst Underwater Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the research and protection of underwater ecosystems
‘Heartbroken. Today the diving community has lost another great cave explorer and friend,’ Schott wrote.
She described him as ‘a true explorer and a true friend.
“We’ve won Emmys together, educated the public about cave safety and what attracts people to these places. I will always smile when I think of you, but right now I am sad like all your friends. You meant a lot to a lot of people,’ she said.
Phantom Springs is believed to be the deepest underwater cave in the country, with a record pressure of 462 ffw / 140.8 m.
Its actual depth is unknown, as no explorer has been able to venture that far.
In January 2012, Hemphill and Pitkin joined an expedition to map the upstream and downstream sections of the cave for research purposes
Few are allowed to dive at Phantom Springs, with permission granted for research purposes
It is also the longest underwater cave in the United States, outside of Florida.
In January 2012, Hemphill and Pitkin joined an expedition to map the upstream and downstream sections of the cave for research purposes.
Few are allowed to dive at Phantom Springs, with permission granted for research purposes.
Dozens of friends have posted tributes to Hemphill on his Facebook page, where his biography reads: ‘Keep breathing.’