worked on a boat at the Fiji islands, where many Russian expatriates also settled, and he returned to Fiji several times later. From November 2008 to March 2009 he crossed the main island, Viti Levu on foot, while the crossing of the second island, Vanua Levu, in 2012 failed halfway because of the wasp bite which required hospitalisation. From January to May 2019 he made a trek over the Viti Levu mountains. The caves of Fiji were not of interest to him. Death Because of the COVID-19 pandemic caving expeditions to deep caves on Arabika massif in the summer 2020 were cancelled, yet when the border with Abkhazia reopened on 1 August, a few expeditions nevertheless took place. Demidov joined a CAVEX team expedition to the Integral cave, situated north of Verëvkina, 2,345 m above sea level, and the depth of 200 m. On 23 August, he and Stanislav Homjakov came to the meander, which was the last explored point of the cave, at a depth of 305 m. The meander begins with a narrow passage among stones and boulders at the bottom of a collapse hall. Both cavers easily overcame this obstacle and, after passing a short meander, came to a small ledge. Demidov went back to fetch a rope, and Homjakov remained to clear the ledge of loose stones. After a while Homjakov, worried about Demidov's long absence, climbed back. He saw a new collapse of clay and stones with Demidov in the center of it, without any signs of life. A large rescue operation followed and on 1 September Demidov's body was lifted to the surface. The following day, 2 September, it was airlifted to Moscow. Notes References Speleologists Scientists from Moscow 1971 births 2020 deaths Mountaineering deaths