A Russian aerial and marine explorer wants Putin’s help to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench

The Russian aerial and marine explorer Fyodor Konyukhov wants Vladimir Putin’s help for his next feat: diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench — the deepest part of the world’s oceans. At an awards ceremony on June 27 at the Kremlin, Konyukhov made the request while receiving Russia’s Order of Honor.

Konyukhov holds the world records for fastest solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat (159 days, 14 hours, and 45 minutes) and fastest balloon trip around the Earth (11 days). He’s been talking about reaching the bottom of the Mariana Trench since the mid-1990s. In 2007, he reportedly planned such an expedition with the oceanologist Artur Chilingarov. It would be quite a trip: the maximum-known depth is 36,070 feet (almost seven miles).