Indian Ocean science mission recovers key underwater drone

A British-led marine scientific mission off the Seychelles has succeeded in retrieving a key underwater drone from the sea bed, where it had fallen after its cable was cut two days ago.

The camera-carrying drone is a vital piece of equipment for the Nekton Mission scientists as they explore the Indian Ocean depths. Two recovery attempts on Wednesday failed.

Pilot Jimmy Boesen called Thursday's success a welcome relief after two sleepless nights.

He says that "the mission is 50 per cent not done if we didn't get it done. So it's a good one."

The Associated Press is the only news agency working with British scientists from the Nekton research team on its deep-sea mission.

 

The seven-week expedition is expected to run until April 19.