China’s research vessel KEXUE has started a 20-day long survey over a series of seamounts in the south of the Mariana Trench.
According to Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the vessel will explore four seamounts in the area.
The vessel’s Discovery remote operated vehicle (ROV) already dived into the sea to collect samples from a seamount in the southwest of the targeted area.
The ROV captured two rare deep-water sea slugs during the dive, local media informed.
The survey is planned to be completed within 20 days and the vessel is expected to go back to Xiamen of China’s Fujian Province on June 23.