China’s deep-sea submersible Jiaolong completed its 300th dive on Sunday since its maiden mission in August 2009.
Jiaolong, with a crew of one scientist and two submariners, made the dive in the western Pacific Ocean. It was the first of 18 dives planned as part of an ongoing scientific expedition.
The submersible is being carried by China’s research vessel Deep Sea No. 1, which has Chinese and foreign scientists on board, and which set sail on August 10 in Qingdao, in east China’s Shandong Province.
During its 45-day expedition in the western Pacific Ocean, Jiaolong is expected to collect organisms, seawater and deep-sea sediments to further our understanding of the unique ecosystems and environments of seamounts.
Since 2009, Jiaolong has explored the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, completing a total of 900 deep-sea voyages.
