Missing since 1959 after a fatal fall into a crevasse in Antarctica, a British meteorologist has finally been found.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of 25-year-old British meteorologist Dennis Bell in Antarctica in 1959 has finally been solved. His remains, long trapped in ice, were discovered earlier this year on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) announced on Monday.
On July 26, 1959, in the midst of the austral winter, Dennis Bell was taking part in a scientific mission from the Admiralty Bay station. Accompanied by three colleagues and a team of sled dogs, he was conducting meteorological surveys on a glacier. According to his companions, he briefly left his skis to help the dogs progress, before falling into a crevasse.
Found Thanks to Climate Change
After more than six decades, climate change and the retreat of the ice finally revealed his body. A team of Polish scientists based on King George Island discovered his remains in January, along with personal belongings. DNA analysis, compared with samples from his brother and sister, confirmed his identity.
« When my sister Valerie and I were informed that our brother had been found, we were in shock, » testified David Bell, as quoted in the BAS statement.
For Jane Francis, director of the BAS, Dennis Bell is among the pioneers who “contributed to the early days of Antarctic exploration and research under incredibly harsh conditions.” She emphasizes that this discovery “puts an end to a decades-old mystery and reminds us of the human stories tied to the history of Antarctic research.”
Source: 20minutes
