The woman considered one of the greatest freedivers of all time is feared dead after she failed to surface after a dive in the Mediterranean.
Natalia Molchanova was diving without fins to a planned depth of 35 metres (115ft) near La Savina port on Formentera, a small island that lies south of Ibiza, where it is feared she may have encountered a strong underwater current.
Molchanova, 53, holds 41 world records in freediving – diving without breathing
apparatus – and can hold her breath for nine minutes. In May, she dived to a depth of 71 metres in waters off Egypt.
The local coastguard and the Guardia Civil arrived in the area at 5pm local time on Sunday after Molchanova’s friends reported her missing. They searched the area until sunset while a helicopter searched overhead for signs of the diver.
On Tuesday, an underwater robot was brought in to widen the search.
Miguel Chicón of Spain’s coastguard told Europa Press: “The search efforts are now incredibly complicated. On Sunday we searched the zone with no success and now the depths we need to search can reach 80 metres.”
He noted that the skies were clear and the sea was calm on Sunday, and had been that way since.
Molchanova was diving in an area known for strong currents, where the water temperature can dip sharply once divers get below the surface – something that can affect even the most experienced of divers.
Alexey Molchanov, her son, said he believed his mother was dead.
The freediving community also appears to have accepted that Molchanova is unlikely to have survived.
Will Trubridge, one of the most respected freedivers in the world, tweeted that the world had “lost its greatest free diver”.
The freediving website Deeper Blue said Molchanova exploded on to the scene in 2003 when she set a world record in only her second competition by swimming underwater for 150 metres without fins at the Freediver Classic Open in Cyprus.
A year later she broke that record again and in 2005 confirmed her dominance in the sport by breaking nine world records in six free-diving categories. “At this point there was no doubt that there was a new superwoman in the sport of freediving,” Deeper Blue said.
She continued to set new world records for the next decade. In 2013, Molchanova swam 182 metres under water with no fins at the world championships in Belgrade, breaking the record by 19 metres.
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, personally congratulated Molchanova on her performance in Belgrade.
At the following year’s world championship in Sardinia she broke the world record with a fin by diving for 237 metres.
Aida International, the freediving governing body, issued a joint statement with Molchanova’s family paying tribute to her achievements. “She was an inspiration to all freedivers and despite being one of the fiercest competitors in the world, she was always calm and relaxed during competitions,” the statement read.
Freedivers rely on holding their breath underwater, rather than using aids such as scuba gear.
Molchanova was born in Russia and was a swimmer before switching to freediving, where she won 20 individual golds at world championships. Like his mother, Molchanov is also a free-diving world record holder.
Culled from TheGuardian.com
Chaiiii
ReplyDeleteIt's what u know how to do best that kills...E.g Paul Walker and Cars
ReplyDeleteA.k.A- too much ITK
DeleteHmmmmm......trutalk.
DeleteNa so my sister,reality check 1,2...
DeletePaul Walker wasn't the one driving the car. His friend was.
DeleteNeed a yummy Birthday/Wedding cake in Abuja? Home / office delivery. Also send a gift of cake to your loved one in Abuja.Pls click on my ID to see pics and my contact details.
Sharks Don tire with am they decided to digest her.
ReplyDeleteSo sad. RIP
ReplyDeleteSad
ReplyDeleteNdi ocha enweghi aka oru. Mmiri noro onwe ya nwanyi eburu bia. Onweghi ihe na-atu unu ujo! Hemkwa!
ReplyDeleteIf she reappears nko?
ReplyDelete@SHB
Free diving= Tempting Fate.
ReplyDeleteChai,Hope She is found.
a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said..
ReplyDelete.
I wonder why someone will take this as an hobby..... Sorry to her though....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
She is not dead..she is having meeting with mammy waters..
ReplyDeleteSorry,lame joke..
Lol. It is actually funny.
DeleteU know I had this on my mind too.
DeleteIt's sad tho. Rip Natalie
Omoyemi
WOOOOW!! EVN AT 53??RIP TO HER...TOMJERRYSWIT
ReplyDeleteI'd like to die like this, in the line of my passion, dnt worry its not sex hehehe
ReplyDeleteBE VERY CAREFUL WOT U ASK/WISH FOR.
DeleteWetin person dey find atimes na'im e dey see.
ReplyDeleteShe looks like a man.
ReplyDeleteOh my God
ReplyDeleteHian!
ReplyDeleteDangerous sports.
May her soul rest in peace, if she is really dead.
#WhiteDiamondOut
eya.
ReplyDeletebut this oyibo ppl can like to look for wahala. u already hold records.
whats the deal?
http://www.bbannesworld.com/2015/08/broken-2.html
Chai c d way she free dived into her death.
ReplyDeleteI dnt want t believ she's dead till her body is found but deses oyibo ppl sef dia own too mush.
i just hope shes found alive, God pls. pls how do i get my in house news message across to stella? someone pls help me wit the email address. thanks.
ReplyDeleteSdimokokorkus@gmail.com
Deletehmmm
ReplyDeleteThe Life of Aldorable
TF mehn🙌🙌🙌They weird mehn
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDeleteShe died doing what she knows how best to do.
ReplyDeleteMay her soul RIP.
Mammy water don carry her go
ReplyDeleteWhy was she tempting fate?
At 53?
ReplyDeleteNne,you for still chillax ontop this your passion o.
Wow.....but really?she holds her breath for that long?
Thats some real skill.
I hope she resurfaces.
.....if not........RIP
Make una no vex. The mammy water don go back her kingdom. This world don tire am.
ReplyDeleteNo..... She's not dead. She's on a journey to nineveh in the belly of a shark....
ReplyDeleteThis is the best at stupidity not n not a game
ReplyDeleteIt was only a question of time.
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDelete@ her excellency lwkmd....can imagine the sharks saying who the hell does she think she is sef? lol.....any RIP oh. oyibo una too dey find trouble
ReplyDelete