At a Glance
- A diver from the French Polar Institute disappeared while checking a scientific instrument under ice in Adélie Land on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
- French and Australian teams have searched for two days without success.
- The institute has launched both a rescue effort and an investigation into the disappearance.
Why it matters: The incident highlights the extreme risks scientists face in polar research zones, even during operations labeled routine.
A French Polar Institute diver has been missing since Tuesday after vanishing beneath the ice in Antarctica’s Adélie Land.
The institute announced the disappearance in a Facebook post, stating the diver was conducting what was described as a “routine” check on a scientific instrument when contact was lost. Search operations began immediately under the station’s diving safety protocol.
Search Efforts Span Two Days
Multiple teams have joined the effort. The French Polar Institute requested assistance from other Antarctic programs within hours of the incident. The Australian Antarctic Division confirmed it received the call for help and is “investigating all options available to support the search effort,” a spokesman told News Of Losangeles.
Adélie Land, where the dive took place, borders the Australian Antarctic Territory on both sides and is claimed by France. The region is home to the French station Dumont d’Urville, which sits on a windswept archipelago roughly 5 kilometers from the Antarctic mainland.
Safety Protocol Triggered Immediately
According to the institute, the diver entered the water under standard operating procedures. When the diver failed to resurface at the expected time, surface crew activated the emergency plan. Rescue divers and surface support teams searched the dive site and surrounding ice holes, but found no trace.
The French Polar Institute stated: “The safety protocol for diving operations had been implemented, and search operations were launched immediately. An investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances of this disappearance.”
International Response Underway
France and Australia maintain overlapping territorial claims in the area, and scientific cooperation is routine. The Australian Antarctic Division’s support could include aircraft, additional divers, or medical evacuation resources, depending on weather and ice conditions.
A spokesman for the division said the request for assistance came “following the disappearance of a diver in Adélie Land yesterday.” No timeline has been given for when Australian assets might arrive.
Family Notified as Hope Diminishes
The French Polar Institute extended condolences in its post: “The French Polar Institute and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands extend their deepest condolences to the family of the missing diver, his loved ones, and all the teams mobilized on site.”
The diver’s name has not been released, consistent with French privacy protocols for active search-and-rescue cases.
Previous Incidents
The disappearance follows a similar tragedy in December. On Dec. 1, South Australia Police recovered the body of 65-year-old cave diver Gary Gibson in Tantanoola, Australia, after a day-long search. News Of Losangeles reported that recovery effort, noting cave and ice diving carry among the highest fatality rates in any sport or scientific field.
Key Takeaways
- The diver vanished Jan. 13 during a scientific instrument check under sea ice in Adélie Land.
- French and Australian teams continue searching after 48 hours.
- An official investigation is underway to determine how the routine dive ended in disappearance.
