A Czech-Polish expedition has discovered the world’s deepest cave: a flooded limestone abyss plunging 404 meters (1,325 feet) into the deep.
A National Geographic grant partially funded the exploration of the cave, known as Hranická Propast, and it was that publication that reported its discovery on September 27, noting that the Czech cave beats the previous record holder, the 392-meter (1,286-foot) Pozzo del Merro in Italy, by 12 meters (39 feet).
Polish diver Krzysztof Starnawski led a team into the limestone formation which he has been probing since 1999; Starnawski had previously noted the unusual development of the cave’s formation, predicting that it could extend down an extreme distance.
Czech diver Jan Musil accompanied Starnawski on the dive as did a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) which assisted the divers in going beyond the 200-meter mark.
Upon entering the water, divers reported immediate skin itchiness possibly an effect of the presence of bubbling hot water saturated with CO2, that is wearing away at base of the rock.
Hranická Propast is located in the Olomoc region near the town of Hranice.