On the 13th February 1971 Paul Esser died in a tragic accident whilst diving in the submerged upper section of the Porth yr Ogof cave system near Ystradfellte. Attempts were made to recover the body over a number of weekends but these were hampered by the weather conditions and the equipment of the time. As a result it was not possible to recover Paul. Since it was the request of his family that no further lives be put at risk to recover Paul, he has remained in the cave since that time. The family recently contacted the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team with regards to the possibility of recovering Paul's remains for burial with his parents. A highly experienced cave diver who is part of the Cave Diving Group visited the site where Paul lay and deduced it would now be possible to remove the remains from the cave. This decision reflects the advances made in cave diving equipment and techniques during the last four decades. In the early 1970's the core techniques and equipment were very much in development. In addition the type and design of cylinders and regulators available seriously limited the time available for dives. Great progress has been made in the equipment, techniques and experience of cave divers since the time of the accident, although cave diving by its very nature remains a dangerous activity. On the 22nd April 2010, two highly experienced cave divers prepared Pauls remains for removal from the cave. Later in the evening, when the area was quiet, Paul’s remains were discretely removed from the cave in the presence of a few members of the family. He will now lie in peace with his parents.