Russian freediver claims new record in icy Lake Baikal plunge

Russian freediver Alexei Molchanov claimed to have set a new Guinness World Record on Tuesday after plunging 80 metres (262 feet) in the icy waters of Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Clad in blue diving gear, Molchanov dropped into a hole in the Baikal ice before coming back up smiling, winking and forming the OK sign with his hand, video footage showed.

His team claimed it was the deepest ever freedive under ice.

"I would like to dedicate this new record to this amazing place where we are now. Baikal is a unique natural phenomenon and a living organism, which is important to preserve for future generations," the 34-year-old freediver said in a statement.

Igor Kobzev, governor of the Siberian region of Irkutsk where part of Lake Baikal is located, said on Instagram that the water was a chilly 3 degrees Celsius (37.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

"With his dives, Alexei draws attention to environmental issues and the purity of water. What he's doing deserves respect," the governor wrote.

Lake Baikal, the largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world, has been suffering from increased algae growth, a boom in tourism, and the effects of forest fires in the surrounding wilderness for many years.

Russian swimmers have previously competed in icy swims across the lake's frigid waters to draw attention to the ecological threats it faces.

Molchanov, a 14-time world champion freediver, claims to now hold 20 world records.

His mother Natalia Molchanova was also a freediver and during her career was described as possibly the world's greatest.

She went missing during a private lesson off the coast of Spain in August 2015 and was presumed dead a few days later.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Reclusive Chinese water tycoon is now Asia's richest person
Beijing (AFP) March 10, 2021
Until recently, few people had even heard of the Chinese billionaire with a gruff reputation who built a fortune on China's seemingly unquenchable demand for his ubiquitous red-capped bottled water. But reclusive Zhong Shanshan has become Asia's richest man following the stock listings last year of his Nongfu Spring mineral water and separate pharma company Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, which has tapped into massive demand for Covid-19 test kits. Zhong's net worth has surged to $85 bill ... read more