Dead cave divers may have known the problem before the expedition

Two men drowned during a diving expedition in a labyrinthine underwater cave system in Florida. Officials said Thursday.

According to the Hernando County Sheriff's OfficeThree teenagers saw two divers enter the Buffford Springs Cave on Wednesday, but one surfaced. It floated unresponsively.

The teens swam to check him, but there was no reaction, officials said. They were able to take the diver to the dock, but they couldn't lift him out of the water.

Two agents "dive into the water and together lift the diver to the dock," the sheriff's office said. "The diver apparently died."

The rescue diver found a second man 137 feet below the cave.

They were identified as Todd Richard McKenna (52 years old) and Stephen Roderick Gambrel (63 years old). A coroner identifies the cause of the death.

According to the sheriff's office, teens heard two divers enter the cave and discuss whether the tank had enough air. Later, both submerged and apparently drowned, the sheriff's office said.

Which is the sheriff's office? It was also a "clear sign of trauma" to the divers, and seemed to be equipped with "appropriate equipment". The agent said he was not sure if the diver's equipment was functioning properly. 

Both male bodies were handed over to a coroner. 

According to a guide on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, Buffford Springs is a network of underground caves with a 167-foot descent. There is a winding passage in the cave. Divers must register and obtain permission from park staff before they fall into a potentially dangerous situation.

"Even experienced cave divers died here. Underwater caves are reasonably beautiful, so I can't afford to make mistakes," the guide says.

The cave is located in the Chasahowitzka Wildlife Park, north of the Tampa Bay area along the Gulf Coast. According to the Wildlife Commission, the adjacent cave, Eagles Nest Sink, is considered "Cave Diving Mount Everest".