[1] In May 2006, Kofanov took part in a rescue operation of climber Lincoln Hall on Mount Everest, who was on the verge of death at an altitude of 8,700 metres.

Later, Hall wrote a book titled, Dead Lucky, becoming a bestseller.

A year later Kofanov saved the life of the lost and dying Italian climber Marco Epis on Everest, lowering him from an altitude of 8,300 metres.

This was the first rescue operation on Everest organized by one person at such altitude, and it received widespread attention, such as the Italian RAI-TV and the English Discovery Channel.

Kofanov was the champion of national and international championships in alpinism and mountaineering.