*Thank you to everyone who has donated to this cause. With the funds that have been donated through other means, the recovery team have now received sufficient financial aid and request no further donations. This page will be closed 30 days after it was started (this is the earliest that Just Giving will allow). Thanks again.

Fundraising to support the costs of the recovery of Pavel Demidov

On 23rd August, 2020, world-renowned cave explorer and leader of the recent Veryovkina explorations, Pavel Demidov, passed away in a tragic cave accident in the Arabika massif (Abkhazia/Georgia). A self-funded rescue operation is now underway to recover Pavel from -305 m in a little-explored cave.

The recovery team have requested financial support to help with the cost of the operation. At present the full cost of the operation is unknown, but expenses will include travel, accommodation, subsistence, and equipment.

Several options are available to make a donation, including direct bank transfer and paypal (see details on Facebook), however, some people have expressed difficulty with these systems. This Just Giving page has been set-up to try and simplify the process. Each donation will incur a 2.9% +25p credit card processing charge, hence if you are in a position to make the direct bank transfer then this is still preferred. We (Gina & Robbie) will take care of the process of transfering the Just Giving funds to the recovery team in Russia and will absorb as much as possible the bank transfer fees.

If you would like to see a film of Pavel giving a lecture at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, about the exploration of Veryovkina cave, presently the deepest-known cave in the world, then please visit here. Pavel and his team also feature in the latest issue of National Geographic magazine.

Thank you to everyone for the kind words and support. Please share this fundraising campaign widely. RIP Pavel.