The pictures below are from a cave expedition in the deepest abyss in the world – Jean Bernar, France. Two Frenchmen and one Bulgarian managed to reach the first siphon of the cave (-1537m) and set a remarkable record. These photos are unique because they are taken from the deepest chasm of all. Obtained from the personal archive of one of the divers, they are the only originals in the whole world and were consigned specially to our team with the purpose of revealing to the public the view from the bottom of the world.

Our team prepared a short first-hand interview with the Bulgarian who took these pictures – Hristo Raikov (one of the team’s coaches):

The Team: Mr Raikov, what will you remember of this unique dive to the cave Jean Bernar?
H. Raikov: The dive was principally the same as climbing a mount – you take food, devices and instruments with the one exception that it is a descent. We prepared the necessary equipment for three days and at the end of the week, we were on the bottom. I personally dived three times to the cave. My French buddies, who are professional divers, wanted to make a live broadcast from the bottom of the world but the plan fell through. We took a hundred professional lanternslides, showing the way to the cave, which later were included in a huge color catalogue.

The Team: Were there any extreme and risky situations while entering the cave?
H. Raikov: The transport of diving equipment was very dangerous. The cave has such a fragile structure that every shaking might cause the bottles to explode. The cave was very narrow and difficult – it was a real ordeal of psychological and mental resistance. It gradually constricts and at the end there is a small pool. In this pool, half-lying and half-bent, I hardly wore the equipment and continued to dive under water. It is dark and invisible. The siphon is 40 m long after which there is something like a well. Entering the well was the most difficult part of the operation for me. Fortunately, everything was all right.