Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution loses Nereus unmanned research sub

Nereus remote-controlled submarine (Credit: Advanced Imaging and Visualization Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has lost a remote-controlled research sub in the Pacific Ocean, according to the Associated Press.

Officials at the research agency say the vehicle was lost while making a dive into the Kermadec Trench, one of the Earth’s deepest. It was named after a Greek sea titan, Nereus.

The remotely operated vehicle was to collect measurements on the hadal zone, a name given to the deepest parts of the ocean. It was six miles below the ocean’s surface when it was lost.

Image: Nereus remote-controlled submarine (Credit: Advanced Imaging and Visualization Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)