Good news from the "Struggler"!

On March 11, the "Exploration One" research vessel arrived in Sanya with the "Struggler" full-sea-depth manned submersible. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Yingquan

The "Struggler" completed the world's first manned deep-sea scientific expedition around Oceania

On the afternoon of March 11, accompanied by the blast of whistles and cheers from the crowd, the "Exploration One" research vessel and the "Struggler" full-ocean-depth manned submersible arrived in Sanya, successfully completing the world's first manned deep-sea scientific expedition voyage around Oceania.

The reporter learned from the Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that this voyage is the first phase of the "Global Abyss Deep Diving Exploration Program" initiated by the institute. It has sailed from Sanya on October 6, 2022, lasted 157 days, and sailed more than 22,000 nautical miles around Oceania. This voyage was participated by 10 domestic and foreign institutions. Under the test of the ultra-long voyage, the "Struggler" completed a total of 63 effective dives, including 4 dives to a depth of more than 10,000 meters.

On March 11, the "Exploration One" research vessel arrived in Sanya with the "Struggler" full-sea-depth manned submersible. Researchers are introducing the samples of deep-sea macroorganisms, rocks, nodules and sediments they collected. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Kaizi

According to reports, during the voyage, the expedition team conducted the world's first large-scale, systematic manned deep-sea survey in the Kermadec Trench in the southwest Pacific Ocean, and for the first time in human history, reached the bottom of the Diamantina Deep and the Valais-Genes Deep in the southeast Indian Ocean to conduct field observations and sampling. The samples of deep-sea macro-organisms, rocks, nodules, sediments and water collected provided important support for a deeper understanding of the evolution and adaptation mechanism of deep-sea life and the evolution of deep-sea sedimentary environments. The successful implementation of this voyage fully demonstrated my country's manned deep-sea operation capabilities and operation and maintenance level, and also marked the maturity and stability of the "Struggler" operation and maintenance system.