Potop v najvecjo podzemsko dvorano na svetu

Leta 1989 so se na pobudo grskega ministrstva za kulturo zacela jamsko potapljaska raziskovanja v termalnem jezeru v udornici Vouliagmeni pri Atenah. Kot prva sta se v izvir potopila izkusena jamska potapljaca Jean-Jacues Bolanz in Luigi Casati. Njuno odkritje je preseglo vsa pricakovanja, saj sta nasla vhod v ogromno potopljeno galerijo. Vec let zapored sta organizirala speleoloske raziskave in tudi letos se je v Vouliagmeniju zbrala evropska potapljaska elita. Cilj - topografsko izmeriti najvecjo podzemsko dvorano na svetu in izrisati natancen nacrt vseh rovov tega potopljenega labirinta. Zaradi izjemnih globin preko 100 metrov in skupne dolzine nekaj kilometrov je bila nujna uporaba najmodernejsih potapljaskih tehnik, predvsem s podrocja mesanic dihalnih plinov. Najvecja pozornost je bila posvecena varnosti celotne operacije, saj je jama do danes terjala se sedem smrtnih zrtev za jamsko potapljanje neusposobljenih potapljacev.

Diving in the world’s largest submerged cave

In the year 1989 Greek Ministry of Culture initiated a large scale cave diving research in thermal lake of Vouliagmeni near Athens, Greece. The first divers to enter the sump were experienced cave divers Jean-Jacques Bolanz and Luigi Casati. Their discovery was beyond their wildest dreams. They found an entrance to the enormous submerged gallery with crystal clear water. For many years in a row they organized speleological research and also this year some world top cave divers joined them on the banks of Vouliagmeni lake. The goal of the 2001 expedition were topographic measurements of the newly discovered parts of the cave and finalization of a precise map of this submerged labyrinth. Because of the extreme depths and length of the cave the use of breathing gas mixtures was essential. The biggest concern was the safety of the participants because seven divers already lost their lives in this submerged cave.