China's deep-sea submersible concludes Indian Ocean expedition

China's deep-sea manned submersible Jiaolong has concluded a 120-day expedition in the southwest Indian Ocean, its mission commander said on Monday.

In the course of the mission, the submersible observed different hydrothermal areas, the characteristics of hydrothermal fluids and deep-sea biodiversity, gathering a huge amount of data and samples, reported Xinhua.

Jiaolong discovered new hydrothermal vents and deep-sea fissures emitting hot water. The findings could help research on the resources and environments of seafloor sulphide deposits that contain various metals.

Jiaolong will embark on a new expedition to the northwest Pacific Ocean between June and August, followed by a journey to the Mariana Trench, where the submersible reached a depth of 7,062 metres in June 2012, which remains its deepest dive.