{"id":194785,"date":"2023-10-11T02:31:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T02:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tokenstalk.info\/?p=194785"},"modified":"2023-10-11T02:31:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T02:31:07","slug":"record-breaking-diver-dies-exploring-deepest-underwater-cave-in-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tokenstalk.info\/world-news\/record-breaking-diver-dies-exploring-deepest-underwater-cave-in-u-s\/","title":{"rendered":"Record-breaking diver dies exploring deepest underwater cave in U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"
An accomplished diver drowned while exploring an underwater cave system in Texas, thought to be the deepest of its kind in the United States.<\/p>\n
Brett Hemphill, 56, of Florida, began his dive into Phantom Springs Cave at 10.45am on October 4.<\/p>\n
He was last seen tying off 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.<\/p>\n
Other divers began a desperate search to locate him, venturing over 450 feet and a mile into the cave to find him. His body was recovered four days later.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hemphill set a record in 2013 while exploring the same cave system, diving nearly 8,000 feet in at a depth of 465 feet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Brett Hemphill, 56, of Florida , began his dive into Phantom Springs Cave at 10.45am on October 4<\/p>\n
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Hemphill\u00a0drowned while exploring an underwater cave system in Texas , thought to be the deepest of its kind in the United States<\/p>\n
He explored and mapped aquatic caverns for over two decades.<\/p>\n
He also served as president of Karst Underwater Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching and protecting underwater ecosystems.<\/p>\n
‘We finished recovering Brett from the cave this evening,’ wrote cave explorer and anesthesiologist Andy Pitkin on the Karst Facebook page.<\/p>\n
‘Thank you to everyone who has contributed in any way. When we have got all the information and analyzed it, we will issue a statement about the incident that will answer everyone’s questions.<\/p>\n
‘Until then, please allow us some time to come to terms with his loss, as up until now we have been focused on the recovery.’<\/p>\n
Emmy Award-winning photographer Becky Kagan Schott, who worked with Hemphill since she was 18, posted a touching tribute to the later diver.<\/p>\n
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Hemphill also served as president of Karst Underwater Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching and protecting underwater ecosystems<\/p>\n
‘Heartbroken. Today the dive community has lost yet another great cave explorer and friend,’ Schott wrote.<\/p>\n
She described him as ‘a true explorer and a true friend.<\/p>\n
‘We won Emmys together, educated the public about safety in caves and what draws people to these places. I will always smile when I think of you but right now I\u2019m heartbroken as are all of your friends. You meant a lot to a lot of people,’ she said.<\/p>\n
Phantom Springs is believed to be the deepest underwater cave in the country, with a record pressure of\u00a0462 ffw \/ 140.8 m.<\/p>\n
Its actual depth is unknown, as no explorer has been able to venture that far.<\/p>\n
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In January of 2012, Hemphill and Pitkin joined an expedition to map the upstream and downstream sections of the cave for research purposes<\/p>\n
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Few are allowed to dive at Phantom Springs, with permission granted for research purposes<\/p>\n
It is also the longest underwater cave in the United States, outside of Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In January of 2012, Hemphill and Pitkin joined an expedition to map the upstream and downstream sections of the cave for research purposes.<\/p>\n
Few are allowed to dive at Phantom Springs, with permission granted for research purposes.<\/p>\n
Dozens of friends posted tributes to Hemphill on his Facebook page, where his\u00a0bio reads: ‘Keep breathing.’<\/p>\n