Tributes to ‘devoted’ cave diver

TRIBUTES were paid this week to well-known cave diver Artur Kozlowski, whose body was recovered from a cave near Kiltartan in South Galway at the weekend.

A search began for Mr Kozlowski after he failed to return on schedule from a dive at the Pollonora cave on Monday, September 5.
Gardaí in Gort, who were in charge of the search and recovery of Mr Kozlowski’s body, described his death as a “tragic accident”.
“An Garda Síochana were delighted to be able to recover the body in the trying situation it was in, in order to bring closure to the family. We have a family liaison officer assisting Mr Kozlowski’s family with the arrangements here in Ireland. We also have to thank the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation and the three British divers who were of tremendous assistance to us in recovering the body,” said Gort District Superintendent Patrick Murray.
The Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI), the official body representing the interests of speleologists and sporting cavers, offered its condolences to the family and friends of the Polish man.
“Over the last few years, Artur has been renowned for pushing Irish cave diving to its furthest limits. This is an unforgiving sport requiring extreme mental and physical fitness but it was Artur’s passion. He had trained originally with the extremely experienced Welsh cave diver Martyn Farr and soon realised the potential for discovering new cave passage in Ireland, returning to and passing many of the limits of Martyn’s own Irish dives,” the group stated.
A tribute by the SUI also noted that in 2008 Artur achieved an Irish and UK cave dive depth record of 103m in County Mayo and in 2010 the longest Irish and UK underwater traverse of 4km in County Galway.
“Artur’s life was devoted to cave diving. He died pursuing his dreams, exploring to the limits,” the group concluded.
Mr Kozlowski’s body was brought to the surface on Saturday afternoon last by specialist cave rescue and recovery divers called in from the UK.