Two Maldivian aquanauts have written their names in the history books by becoming the first people from the world’s lowest-lying nation to descend deep into the twilight zone.
Marine biologist, Shafiya Naeem, director general of the Maldives Marine Research Institute, and research assistant colleague Farah Amjad were chosen as lead aquanauts on the maiden dive of the Nekton Maldives Mission.
The expedition is a joint initiative by UK-based Nekton and the Maldives government to map, sample, and gather data on ocean health which can inform policymakers both in the Maldives and beyond as the climate crisis deepens. Virtually no images exist of marine life in Maldivian waters below 30 meters.
The aquanauts launched from the mission mothership RV Odyssey off Laamu Atoll and, in an impromptu gesture of national pride, raised the flag of the Maldives as the Omega Seamaster II three-person submersible rolled out on the deck
They were piloted by American Kimly Do on a journey to investigate the wall of coral and marine life along the east coast of Lamu at varying depths from 250 meters, through a 120-meter deep survey to a final transect at 60 meters.
Speaking after the dive, Shafiya said this is the first time a dive going below 250 meters in depth was conducted in the Maldives and that she was very proud to be part of a team of Maldivian researchers involved in the study.
Fellow aquanaut Farah commented that she saw a very different view on this deep-dive to her usual dives and that saw many creatures that are now found in the usual dives.
