The Tenebris Underground Research Group was formed in 2018 in connection with a study of several alpine-type karst areas in Bulgaria. The group is led by Nikolay Zlatkov, a speleology instructor at EMKGI and a technical cave diver. The group became especially active during the 2021 season when we successfully managed to enter the underground river system of the “M” cave in Bulgaria. As a result the group received full funding and logistical support from EMKGI for the next five years, with several dozen expeditions planned until 2025.
The main members of the Tenebris Underground Research Group:
- Nikolai Zlatkov – Team leader. EMKGI speleology instructor, technical cave diver.
- Ivo Kalushev – speleology instructor (NSS, EMKGI), cave rescue and technical cave diving instructor, leader of the ATI Cave Exploration Team.
- Decho Vasilev – speleologist, EMKGI
- Dr. Krum Stanev, PhD – geologist and speleologist, EMKGI
- Ivailo Ivanov, LL. M., M. I.L. E.– speleologist and co-founder of EMKGI
- Daniela Sampson, PhD – hydrogeologist MIT, associate, EMKGI
- James Staton Jr., PhD – hydrogeologist MIT, associate, EMKGI
- Plamen Statev – speleologist, technical cave diver
- Alexander Makulev – junior speleologist, mascot of our team 🙂
Associated international members (participation in at least 2 expeditions):
- John Perkins, USA
- Natalie Moulin, France
- Kostas Sorrel, USA