A 1,550 km2 iceberg broke off from Antarctica s Brunt Ice Shelf, British scientists reported Monday. The 1,550-square-kilometer block of ice broke off the ice shelf between 7 pm and 8 pm Sunday after a strong tide widened an existing crack in the ice shelf, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) explained.
All of the 21 staff working at the Halley Research Station with the British Antarctic Survey were completely safe, and had been preparing for this eventuality.
Cracks in the 150 metre thick ice have been developing over several years, and the final break occurred on January 22nd between 19:00 and 20:00 GMT during a spring tide.