First expedition to explore Tonga Trench [1]
Tuesday, June 4, 2019 - 20:29. Updated on Tuesday, June 4, 2019 - 20:32.
An extreme explorer expedition in Tonga is aiming to become the first to dive and explore the Horizon Deep within the Tonga Trench. This week the Five Deeps Expedition aims to find out, if the Tonga Trench is only the second-deepest in the Pacific or if it might be actually deeper than the Mariana Trench.
The exploration is being carried out by Five Deeps Expedition led by Rob McCallum, who stated that this is the first time anyone has attempted the Tonga Trench. They arrived at Vuna Wharf at the weekend on board the research ship DSSV Pressure Deep
Assistant Geologist ‘Ana Maea from Tonga's Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources joined the mission at Nuku'alofa. They departed Nuku'alofa on June 3 and were expected to arrive in the vicinity of Tonga's deepest sea on June 4.
Rob stated their mission is to put the cameras down and film it, measure it and come back and show Tonga what they have got.
Previously measured at 10,882 meters deep, the Tonga Trench is widely known as the second-deepest ocean trench in the world.
Extreme explorer
The Five Deeps Expedition is the first global ocean journey to dive the deepest points in each of Earth’s five recognized oceans in a manned submersible vessel. Extreme explorer Victor Vescovo pilots a submersible on solo and two-person dives.
The team decided to come to Tonga due to the small difference in measured depths between the Challenger (Mariana Trench) and Horizon Deeps.
Vescovo and team plan to find out, once and for all, if the Tonga Trench is actually only second-deepest in the Pacific or if it actually deeper than the Mariana Trench.
Prior to Tonga, the team had completed four dives, including the Challenger Deep within the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest ocean trench in the world.
Meanwhile, Five Deeps Expedition is being filmed by Atlantic Productions for a five-part Discovery Channel documentary series due to air in later this year.
Five Deeps
- Puerto Rico Trench (Atlantic Ocean, 8,408 meters) - 21 Dec 2018
- South Sandwich Trench (Southern Ocean, 8,183 meters) – 4 Feb 201
- Java Trench (Indian Ocean, 7,290 meters) –16 April 2019
- Mariana Trench/Challenger Deep (Pacific Ocean, 10,925 meters) –13 May 2019
- Molloy Deep (Arctic Ocean, 5,573 meters) – August 2019