Guide Konstantin Filippov did not like dungeons, but he loved money
New details of the tragic death of a group of diggers in a Moscow sewer have been revealed. According to other lovers of underground excursions, tourists would have a chance to escape if the guide, when the underground paths began to flood, led the group to a safe place. There are such places in underground Moscow, and they are known to those who lead excursions there.
Guide of the deceased group Konstantin Filippov. < p>As it became known to MK, as a result of Sunday rains, the collector, along which excursions usually take place, was flooded almost completely. In the section from the corner of Durov to the Garden Ring, the water level was under the ceiling, in the section downstream of the underground river Neglinka — about a meter lower. In this case, the diameter of the pipe is approximately 4.5 meters.
Connoisseurs of Moscow dungeons believe that a group of tourists had a chance to escape. Along the way, there are ladders in the collector, as well as places where water usually does not enter. In particular, one such place exists under the Metropol Hotel. In addition, there is an old sewer collector in the form of a branch from the main one — in the area of the Trubnaya metro station. Finally, there are numerous hatches through which you can get out — in the area of Sadovaya-Samotechnaya and Trubnaya streets. Moreover, these hatches are brought out exactly on the sidewalk, that is, it is safe to get out there.
However, the leader of the group either did not know about the existence of these places, or panicked and could not take the group there.
A preliminary inspection showed that the manhole cover, which the tourists used to go underground, was ajar from the inside. One got the impression that one of the members of the group was still trying to get out. But he either could not do it, or still left the collector and for some reason does not get in touch.
8 people went on an underground tour — guide Konstantin Filippov and seven tourists, among whom were Dmitry Markushkin and three of his young companions. This figure is not final: it is possible that someone joined the tour at the last moment.
Dmitry Markushkin.
At about 17.00, the girl's body was found first. It was carried out by the current to the Moscow River in the area of the soaring bridge of the Zaryadye park. According to the shoe covers of the OZK (combined arms protective kit), it was possible to determine that the girl participated in an underground excursion — similar items of clothing are issued to all participants in the underground tour. By the way, one of the same boot covers was carried out by the current to an open area — apparently, it was torn off by a stream from one of the tourists.
A rough picture of the incident managed to restore the police. Even before the start of the tour (beginning at 14.00), the 31-year-old guide Konstantin Filippov contacted the organizer of underground travels, Nikolai Dubas, who was absent in Moscow — he was in Belarus. Most likely, Filippov consulted: is it possible to conduct a tour in the presence of a warning from the Ministry of Emergency Situations about bad weather? As we now know, it was in bad rainy weather that the tragic journey took place.
The duration of the tour itself is 2 hours 45 minutes. Experienced diggers walk the entire collector at a fast pace in 40 minutes, but the tour involves stops, so the travel time is very long.
Apparently, due to heavy rain, water began to flow into the collector so rapidly that the hikers and the guide just did not have time to orient. “Water rushes like a mountain stream, with such rain,” experts in the dungeons explained. — If the water level reaches the knee, a person can already be knocked down. And if the water rises to the waist, you will definitely be carried away.
It is characteristic that all the bodies of the dead could have been found in one place, if not for a combination of circumstances. In 2015, two grids were installed in the Neglinka sewer — under the Zaryadye park and under the Alexander Garden. However, more recently, one of these gratings was knocked out by a stream of water. This happened during the previous series of heavy rains in July. Haven't been able to restore it. If not for this circumstance, all the bodies, most likely, would have been nailed to this grate on Revolution Square. But since there was no grating, the bodies were carried out into the Moscow River.
Speaking of the guide Konstantin Filippov, who led the group through the dungeons and, most likely, died, many diggers express their skepticism.
“He worked for two or three years on these excursions. To be honest, it's none of his business, — explained one of Filippov's colleagues. Konstantin didn't like dungeons. You could even say he was afraid of them. It was a way for him to make money.”
Experts are quite critical about Nikita Dubas, who is the organizer of excursions.
“I was always embarrassed by his negligence,” another digger shared his observation. He, in particular, liked to recruit large groups. Although the more people in the group, the lower the mobility and, accordingly, the higher the risk of emergency situations. But for Nikita, making money was primary. In a word, stupidity multiplied by greed.
And Nikita, of course, knew how to convince. Filippov is a coward, he would not have taken a step without him. So Dubas clearly convinced him that it was safe to go underground.”
By the way, other experienced diggers, such as Daniil Davydov, a dungeon explorer with 25 years of experience, canceled their excursions on Sunday due to bad weather.< /p>
The guides themselves consider the tragedy in the dungeons unprecedented. In their memory, only once a group of researchers was swept into the collector of the Presnya River several years ago. But they were without tourists and were able to independently get to the surface. Yesterday's tragedy occurred for the first time in the entire foreseeable «digger» history of the capital's dungeons.