I’m sure finding a shipwreck is exciting enough. However, there is no doubt that detecting a gigantic, mysterious sea creature hovering around the wreckage will increase this excitement. This is exactly what the crew of the OceanX OceanXplorer research vessel experienced during an expedition in the Red Sea in late 2020.
After 1 year, OceanX has revealed more about the extraordinary animal that swam past the remote dash camera while examining the wreck of the cruise ship Pella at a depth of approximately 850 meters.
Zoologist and squid expert Mike Vecchione reviewed the images and said that despite its size, the animal is not the notorious “giant squid” because of its body proportions and the shape of its fins, and is a jumbo-sized specimen of a purple-backed flying squid.
An OceanX video released Wednesday shows the fast-moving animal and its analysis of Vecchione.
OceanX science program leader Mattie Rodrigue describes the first time he saw the squid, which he estimated to be larger than a human, swam across the bow of the wreckage: “I was literally frozen in shock.”
OceanX focuses on ocean exploration, exploration, outreach and conservation. The purpose of the Red Sea mission was to answer the question “How do species in the Red Sea evolve where others die?” Researchers have discovered places where large animals such as squid are found, as well as corals that are resistant to climate change.
While the creature Rodrigue observed is not a mythical giant squid, it has gone down in history as an astonishing and unexpected sight that shows the wonders of the deep. . .
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