Not really a shipwreck expedition but….
Research vessel (R/V) Skagerak was working on a research study in the Sermilik fjord in Greenland in July 2023. Some of the research was done with a Hugin AUV „3000 m“(Autonomous Underwater Vehicle „Underwater Drone“)
In one of the missions, the AUV went into emergency failsafe mode and needed to surface. The Fjord was full of ice and Icebergs, and the AUV got stuck under one of the icebergs. So now was a time for a search and recovery operation.
Traveling to and from Greenland can be pretty complicated, especially if you have to fly with a lot of equipment, i.e. vulnerable stuff such as ROV „Remotely Operated Vehicle“ and diving equipment. Then go on foot or try to arrange a vehicle that can take all the equipment and bring it down to the dock, if there is a dock or harbor there. Then go by boat to meet a research vessel far into a Fjord with minimal electronic communication and internet connection available, except for some VHF and SAT-COM communications.
The trip to the research ship went amazingly well, and all operations went brilliantly. The AUV technicians managed to triangulate the AUV and pinpoint it with some accuracy, so the rest of the work was up to the divers. The divers Héðinn Þorkelsson and Samuel Olafsson did exceptional dive recovery work.
From the time the request for assistance was received (21:00 in the evening), I arrived at the research vessel in Sermilik Fjord around 14:00 the next day. (Response and traveling time of total 17 hours).
. The rest of the pier may be seen in the top right of the photo. (Photo: DE – 19.07.2023)
Information and some specs regarding Hugin AUV
Hugin AUV – Autonomous Underwater Vehicle – „Underwater drone“ is manufactured by Kongsberg Maritime A/S company in Horten Norway. This specifically underwater robot has a maximum depth capability of 3000 meters. It’s 7.5 meters in length and around 1850 kg.
It’s equipped with all kinds of scientific instruments and sensors, like multibeam, side scan sonar, oxygen sensors, temperature and depth sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, nitrate sensors, conductivity, and bottom penetrating sensors. See more here.
Hugin AUV´s „6000“ have been used in numerous underwater work and searches. The company Ocean Infinity also used multiple Hugin AUV´s in the search for the missing Malaysian Airline flight MH-370 which disappeared in Indian Ocean in 2014. More here.
Sermelik fjord
Sermilik Fjord is in the eastern part of Greenland, (Sermersooq municipality). The Fjord is 81 km in length and maximum width of 14 km. The Fjord can reach about 800 / 900 meters in depth and there are a lot of icebergs that are floating around which can make it difficult to sail and navigate. See more information here on Wikipedia.
Tasiilaq – Town
Tasiilaq is a town in south-eastern Greenland. Formerly known as Ammassalik and Angmagssalik.
The population is around 2000, so it makes Tasiilaq the 7th. the largest town in Greenland, but the biggest on the east side.
Nuuk is the capital of Greenland, with a population of just under 20,000 people. Here is more information about the town of Tasiilaq.
The town was luckily for us quite nice for staying. The hotel (Hotel Angmagssalik) was good. Clean rooms and good space. The food was decent, breakfast, and evening dinner. The view from the hotel was stunning.
Links, contacts, and information
Many thanks for the team’s professionalism onboard R/V Skagerak and their cooperation. Also, my teammates Héðinn Þorkelsson and Samuel Ólafsson (SAWO) 🙂
D I V E E X P L O R E R 
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