A cave-diving expedition is currently underway at the Vrelo underwater cave in Matka Canyon, aiming to surpass the existing record of 287 meters and explore depths of 300 meters or more within one of the deepest underwater cave systems in Europe and the world.
The Vrelo Cave Diving Club reports that the expedition is taking place from October 10 to 17, representing an effort to further explore the cave’s underwater system.
The Vrelo cave has previously been the subject of several significant explorations. Italian diver Luigi Casati reached a depth of 212 meters, and Polish cave diver Krzysztof Starnawski reached 242 meters; meanwhile, in 2025, Polish diver Bartłomiej Pitala and his team reached 287 meters, currently ranking the cave as the third deepest explored underwater cave in the world, following Font Estramar in France (312 meters) and Elefante Bianco in Italy (292 meters).
The Vrelo 2026 expedition is being held under the general patronage of Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. On-the-ground support is being provided by members of the Ministry of the Interior’s Special Anti-Terrorist Unit “Tiger”, while the Ministry’s helicopter unit, emergency medical services, and the Red Cross are on standby. Units from the Army General Staff also participated in the preparations.