Great blue hole reveals surprising human impact in deep dive
The Great Blue Hole, located off the coast of Belize, has long been a subject of interest for scientists. When divers finally reached its bottom, they discovered something quite shocking.
The Great Blue Hole is a massive marine sinkhole in the Caribbean, situated off the coast of Belize. Its diameter is about 318 metres, and its depth reaches 124 metres. This impressive formation attracts tourists and researchers and is one of the country's most important attractions.
Scientists descended to the bottom of the Great Blue Hole
For many years, the lack of appropriate equipment prevented the thorough exploration of the Great Blue Hole. It wasn't until an expedition in 2018 that valuable information about this underwater formation and ourselves was obtained. When the Aquatica Submarines crew reached the bottom, they discovered something disturbing.
Initially, the divers observed corals, reef sharks, and sea turtles. However, life began to vanish at 90 metres due to a thick layer of hydrogen sulphide, which blocked oxygen from reaching deeper parts.
Erika Bergman, a participant in the Aquatica Submarines expedition, admitted that they found shells and hermit crabs that had fallen into the hole and suffocated. The most shocking discovery, however, was the presence of human trash at the bottom of the Great Blue Hole.
Trash and human remains at the bottom of the Great Blue Hole
The research team encountered a cola bottle that had reached a depth of 124 metres and a GoPro camera with vacation photos. Among the debris, they also found the bodies of two divers who were likely lost during previous expeditions.
During the research, they also discovered stalactites—rock formations hanging from the cave ceiling. This finding suggests that the Great Blue Hole was once a dry cave formed around 14,000 years ago. It was later flooded and collapsed after the Ice Age ended when sea levels on Earth rose.
