A friend of the extreme woman who died in the sewer told why she went on a tour

In honor of the 34-year-old Daria Bykova, a memorial evening will be held

The tragedy in the Moscow sewer, where 8 people died during an illegal excursion on August 19, became one of the most discussed events of the week. Recall that among the dead were guide Konstantin Filippov, PR man Dmitry Markushkin, his 15-year-old daughter, 17-year-old nephew, 15-year-old nephew’s girlfriend, elderly spouses Elena and Andrei Fadeev, as well as 34-year-old Daria Bykova. Until now, little was known about the latest victim: Daria went on a tour alone. We spoke to a friend of Daria’s who explained how she had ventured into the dangerous journey without support.

– How did you meet Daria?

– I am her friend, close in spirit person. We met her when we were in Kamchatka on an 11-day tour in 2019. In the evening we flew to Kamchatka, stayed at one of the hotels and made friends with Dasha and her friend.

– What was Daria like?

– She was an open, cheerful, well-read and literate person with an active lifestyle. Never got discouraged. He was a man with a big soul, with a big inner world. I loved extreme in all its manifestations. On trips, she always found new friends and never forgot about them later. Each of my arrivals in Moscow was not complete without a meeting with this man. So that you understand how Daria is a man of courage, she could meet me by car at the airport, ask what my plans are, having heard that there are no plans, she offered to make a parachute jump in an hour. I had never jumped before, and it was useless to convince her. Then we made this idea happen. If you tell her – let’s go to the Volga for 200 kilometers from Moscow with an overnight stay and with tents, she would agree. Dasha could suddenly call and invite her to Formula 1 in Sochi. She preferred an active beach holiday. By the age of 34, she has seen everything: Japan, Andorra, the Norwegian fjords, Alaska, Murmansk, Dagestan. Last New Year’s Eve, she and a friend went on a 30-day tour to Antarctica. Daria was an easy-going person. But she did not have any burdens – family, children, husband. Only dogs: husky and some other. She lived alone in Moscow, all her relatives are in Volgodonsk.

– What was Daria’s job?

– Head of the Sales Department of the Moscow Mareiott Imperial Plaza Hotel. She took place as a person and as an employee. After the tragedy, on the same day, a WhatsApp group was created, where all her friends were added, there are already more than 200 people. They all write touching words. And acquaintances from different countries, from Alaska to Japan.

– Did Daria tell you about her desire to go on an ill-fated tour of the sewers?

– No, she didn’t. And the last time we called her was a month ago. It is possible that this decision arose spontaneously. She didn’t even have to prepare for it. “We drove and drove,” she said. She had many such trips. Nothing bad ever happened.

– Previously, Daria was engaged in digging?

– Dasha was such a versatile person in terms of outdoor activities that I can’t say for sure. Was digging her passion? Definitely not. She loved the mountains very much. On New Year’s Eve, when she flew to Antarctica for a 30-day tour, she insisted on making a stop in Latin America so she could still hike in the mountains. As for the tragedy itself.. Daria trusted the instructors. Those people who a priori had to provide security. I think that she completely relied on the organizers, as she was new to the field of digging. Even now I read the news, which says that you could see the weather forecast. It was possible, but Daria trusted the professionals.

– Where will Daria’s funeral take place?

– In Volgodonsk, on August 27, they plan to make an evening in memory of Daria Bykova. And it is in the format of a fun and interesting evening. Because Dasha would not understand boredom and sadness. She was always laughing, cheering everyone on, always playing board games. Dasha was a very versatile person, very friendly. And she had acquaintances and friends in every part of the world. No matter how I call with the question: “Where are you?”, She answered: “I am in Berlin, I am in London.” In Moscow, it was almost impossible to catch her on the weekends. She was completely busy.