China's manned submersible reaches 6,908 meters under sea

[Sasquatch]

The Jiaolong, China's manned deep-sea submersible, made a second dive into the Mariana Trench Tuesday, setting a new national record by reaching a depth of 6,908 meters below sea level.

The dive, which started at 7 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Monday) after the leaking oil pipe of its hydraulic system had been repaired, is expected to re-check the hydraulic system and test various functions and the security of the submersible at great depths.

After setting a new national record in the Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific Ocean and the deepest part of the world's oceans, sea drivers are collecting water samples and placing markers on the sea floor.

Last Friday, the vessel reached 6,671 meters below the sea in the first dive, well surpassing the previous record of 5,188 meters made last July.

The Jiaolong will attempt four more dives, aiming to move deeper and deeper to pursue the goal of reaching 7,000 meters below the sea level between mid-June and early July.

The Xiangyanghong 09, the vessel's oceanographic mother ship, reached the designated dive zone in the Mariana Trench on June 11.



China's manned submersible reaches 6,908 meters under sea - Xinhua | English.news.cn