Massive Iceberg drifts beyond Antarctic waters
Europe
By
VOA
| Nov 26, 2023
One of the world's largest icebergs is drifting beyond Antarctic waters after being grounded for more than three decades, according to the British Antarctic Survey.
The iceberg, known as A23a, split from the Antarctic's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. But it became stuck to the ocean floor and had remained for many years in the Weddell Sea.
The iceberg is about three times the size of New York City and more than twice the size of Greater London, measuring around 4,000 square kilometers.
READ MORE
Co-op Bank named Africa's SME Bank of the Year
Finance Bill will hit sector hard, warn aviation industry players
Experts: Finance Bill proposal on nascent sectors hurts growth
God will decide 2027, Ruto tells a nation on edge
Iran expects FIFA to facilitate multi-entry visa to US for team
Unity call dominates Eid-ul-Adha celebrations
Co-operative Bank and Paymenta ink strategic "Banking as a Service" pact
Andrew Fleming, a remote sensing expert from the British Antarctic Survey, told the BBC on Friday that the iceberg has been drifting for the past year and now appears to be picking up speed and moving past the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, helped by wind and ocean currents.
"I asked a couple of colleagues about this, wondering if there was any possible change in shelf water temperatures that might have provoked it, but the consensus is the time had just come," Fleming told the BBC.
"It was grounded since 1986, but eventually it was going to decrease (in size) sufficiently was to lose grip and start moving," he added.
Fleming said he first spotted movement from the iceberg in 2020. The British Antarctic Survey said it has now ungrounded and is moving along ocean currents to sub-Antarctic South Georgia.