Freedivers to hold their breath for colleague who died

Friends of the freediving champion Natalia Molchanova, who died last month, are appealing to members of the diving community to hold their breath for a minute to remember her.

Molchanova was the most successful woman in the history of the sport, with 41 records across several disciplines.

She was undertaking a routine dive off the coast of Ibiza in August when she failed to resurface.

The minute's breath hold will take place at 18:30 GMT on Friday.

Aida International, external, the sport's governing body, has asked people taking part to send photographs, messages or videos for a compilation to be shown at the World Championships.

Freediving is diving without using breathing apparatus.

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Tributes poured in from the freediving community when Molchanova went missing. The 53-year-old Russian is presumed dead, though her body has not been found.

New Zealand freediving champion William Trubridge called her the "queen of freediving" and said the sport had lost its greatest competitor.

Only one person has lost their life in a competitive freediving event. About five people are thought to have died while training.