Deep-sea Research Mission
October 16, Sanya, Hainan Province: Oceanic research vessel Tansuo-1 returns to her home port. A team of 59 Chinese researchers came back from the Mariana Trench after completing a 54- day and 7,292-nautical-mile deep-sea research mission.
Researchers achieved fruitful results from the mission that included a deep-sea equipment test and scientific research in disciplines such as geophysics, marine geology, geochemistry and marine biology, according to Bao Gengsheng, chief scientist of the expedition.
“The expedition demonstrated that China is capable of carrying out comprehensive equipment testing and scientific research in the deep seas and abysses,” declared Ding Kang, director of the Institute of Deepsea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.