Cartagena City Council says it is preparing to tighten access to the Cueva del Agua (Water Cave) system in southern Spain, following the death of a 37-year-old female diver there on 18 January.
The incident occurred in the 7km-long cave at Isla Plana near Cartagena on the Murcian coast, one of the country’s longest active hydrothermal networks.
The woman, English-language teacher Lorena Garcia Martin, had been exploring the cave with a dive-buddy who lost contact with her in what appeared to be murky conditions. The man alerted the emergency services when he emerged shortly after 11 at night.
Responders included the Guardia Civil’s Special Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) along with firefighters, local police and paramedics. Martin’s body was discovered after some two hours at around 1.45am and brought out. A post mortem examination was being carried out as part of an investigation.

The death is the fifth to have been reported in the past 35 years in the labyrinthine Cueva del Agua, sometimes referred to in the area as the “Route of Terror”.
The cave has been explored as an ongoing project for the past 50 years. It features a series of narrow, sediment-filled passages, and the latest topographical route mapped by the Cueva del Agua Group in December recorded its extent as 7,169m.
Local action
Following the fatality the Guardia Civil blocked the entrance to the cave, which is located on municipal land. Up to 20 dives a day are said to take place there each summer, though only suitably qualified cave-divers are supposed to explore its submerged sections.
Cartagena City Council, which describes the system as “a magnet for expert divers because its size is a challenge”, stated that it was now consulting with experts on ways to improve safety measures, including controlling diver access and “setting a series of aptitude requirements”.
Martin’s cave-diving qualification levels were unclear. A close friend told press that she had a lot of diving experience: “She used to practice it in open waters, and had taken many courses, some with GEAS trainers from the Guardia Civil.
“Lorena was not one to take risks – she could do any activity, but always in compliance with safety protocols. I don’t know what could have happened in that cave.”
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