Mission Baikal: subs explore world’s deepest lake

An international scientific expedition to explore the mysteries of Lake Baikal is underway in southern Siberia as two mini-submarines, Mir-1 and Mir-2, started test submerging.

The Mirs will make their first working dives on July 29. During the first part of the expedition, which runs till mid-September, they will make 60 dives into the world's deepest lake and will reach the deepest point of Baikal (some 1,700 metres) and precisely measure the lake's depth.

Baikal’s underwater thermal springs and mud volcanoes and its hydrocarbon reserves will also be thoroughly monitored, and scientists will keep an eye out for any historic artifacts.

That will be followed by a further hundred dives in 2009.

The subs are best known for planting a one-metre-high titanium Russian flag on the Arctic’s underwater Lomonosov ridge in August 2007.

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