What happened

During the first trip, the seven-meter Ran passed under the glacier and made important measurements about the melting of the glacier. This data gave scientists more detailed information than ever before about what was happening to the ice giant.

At the end of his second mission under the ice, he ran into trouble. During dives under 200-500 meter thick ice, “Ran” does not constantly communicate with the research mothership. The route is pre-programmed and thanks to the advanced navigation system, the device can find its way back to open water.

As explained in the statement, it made repeated descents and descents because it was unable to communicate with human operators under the ice. Normally, if the robot is working properly, it meets the control team at the designated meeting point.

The crew of the South Korean icebreaker Araon began searching for the orange submarine using acoustic search equipment, drones and even helicopters.

In the end, all that was left was to realize that the Scar had disappeared. All we know is that something unexpected happened under the ice. We suspect he got into trouble and then something stopped him from getting out.
– he said in the statement.

As scientists say, the chances of being found decrease over time. “It’s a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack without even knowing where it is.”– says Anna Volin, one of the UG scientists working in the diving team.

The probe’s battery is already discharged. It probably sank to the bottom of the ocean or was swept away by the current – it wouldn’t be able to resist without the engines. According to Wolin, there is a possibility that there is something preventing the “Scar” from “emerging” from under the ice, and the team admits that this could mean the end of the submarine.

Despite the loss, the university hopes to find a replacement and is currently seeking funding.

• We will remind you that Thwaites Glacier or Doomsday Glacier is a huge piece of ice located in Antarctica. If it melts, sea levels are estimated to rise by as much as 65 centimeters. Changes in the atmosphere and oceans, global warming, are felt especially clearly in the glacier zone: the result is a rapid loss of ice. That’s why scientists are studying it to understand its current state.
• The Ran unmanned underwater vehicle, one of three of its kind, is equipped with advanced technology and sensors that can measure and document the underwater environment. It has the capacity to perform long-term missions under ice and has been used successfully, especially in Antarctica.

Anna Wolin with the camera / Photo: Olof Lönnehed