The Red Sea Is Inhabited by Giant Squid, Bigger Than Humans

 


The OceanX team's exploration of marine biologists, media and documentary filmmakers in the depths of the Red Sea uncovered not only shipwrecks, but also giant creatures that looked bigger than humans.

While investigating the Pella ship which sank in November 2011 at a depth of more than 853 meters, the OceanX team spotted what they called a giant squid.



"I will never forget it for the rest of my life. When we saw the bow of the sunken ship, suddenly this huge creature appeared, saw the ROV (remotely operated vehicle) and wrapped its whole body around the bow of the ship," said the science program leader. OceanX's Mattie Rodrigue in a video taken of the find.



Quoted from the Daily Mail, Tuesday (12/10/2021) only in September 2021, the team learned that the mysterious creature was a giant form of a purpleback flying squid.


The OceanX team traveled to the Red Sea on the OceanXplorer, a research vessel with a 40-ton crane to launch submarines, sonar array cranes and other heavy equipment into the ocean depths.


It also has two manned Triton submarines, each of which can dive to a depth of more than 900 meters for up to eight hours.


OceanXplorer began its maiden voyage in September 2020, when the crew spotted a giant sea creature hiding around the ship Pella. The 147-meter-long ship sank in November 2011 while traveling to the Egyptian port of Nuweiba, after it caught fire off the coast of Aqaba, Jordan while carrying 1,229 passengers. One death was reported in the incident.


When the researchers used an underwater robot to sail around the shipwreck, the giant creature swam into the ship's skeleton.


Rodrigue seeks help from Dr Michael Vecchione, a NOAA zoologist, who concludes that the mysterious creature is a giant form of the purpleback flying squid.


"In the area where OceanX operates in the Red Sea, there is a population of these creatures. They are growing very large. I think what we are seeing is what a giant Sthenoteuthis looks like," said Vecchione.


Vecchione also explained, this type of animal can grow up to 20 meters long. The last giant squid found before this was in October 2016 with a body length of about 9 meters.

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