Search for A Shipwreck Unveils Hidden Deep-Sea Reef

In 2022, a technical diver set out to find a shipwreck off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates, but stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery instead: a mesophotic reef, at 145 meters below the surface.

These reefs thrive at depths with very low light, and are poorly-studied but critical ecosystems. Before this discovery, mesophotic reefs were unknown in the region. The reef is just 10 miles off of the coast, but the deeper waters of the Gulf of Oman are relatively unexplored.

In 2023, the team behind the discovery returned to the reef, during OceanX, G42 and The Environmental Agency Abu Dhabi's expedition in the UAE, to map it in high resolution, explore it with submersibles, and discover what new species might be living there.