An American citizen has been confirmed dead after a diving accident in Pluragrotta i Rana. The person was pronounced dead at the scene by health personnel.
Next of kin have been notified, the police say.
Emergency services moved out
The police in Nordland received a report just before 4pm this afternoon about a diver who had lost consciousness underwater in Pluragrotta in Rana.
All emergency services are on the scene, as well as the air ambulance and a SAR Queen helicopter on its way.
– One person has been taken out and CPR has been started on those who were in the group. Now they are working to save lives, says operations manager Kai Eriksen at the Nordland police district.
Kai Eriksen, operations manager in Nordland police district.
Photo: Martin Giæver / NRK
One of the entourage called
The group that dived in the cave must have been nine people.
– It was a person from the entourage who called us. It was stated that they were 20-30 meters into and down the cave. We need to speak to those in the entourage who are on site for more information.
Eriksen further says that the police will start an investigation into the case.
Several accidents in the past
Pluragrotta, located in Rana municipality, is considered Northern Europe’s longest. The cave is visited annually by Norwegian and foreign divers, and has gradually become a well-visited place by divers from all over Europe.
In 2014, five Finnish cave divers visited Pluragrotta. The trip ended in a fatal accident, where two of the divers died one and a half kilometers into the cave system.
In the report from the accident, it was stated that the divers split into two groups. The diver from the first group got stuck in a narrow passage and had problems with his breathing equipment. The man did not get free, and died at a depth of 110 metres.
The other man who lost his life participated in the other group, and also died as a result of problems with the equipment.
A 37-year-old man from Grimstad lost his life in the cave in 2006. The person ran out of air after sustaining damage to his diving equipment en route.
Published
03/04/2024, at 16.58
Updated
03/04/2024, at 18.08
