A mind-boggling natural event unfolded in East Greenland when a gigantic glacier collapsed into the ocean, sending colossal waves roaring through a remote fjord.
Researchers and crew aboard the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) flagship vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough witnessed and captured the epic calving event near Sorgenfri Gletsjer, releasing details and footage on BAS News.
But first, check out the insanely chaotic scene below.
The crumbling ice face measured over one kilometer wide and averaged 100 meters thick, unleashing a staggering 18 million metric tons of ice into the sea all at once. As the skyscraper-sized icy monoliths plunged into the freezing water, they unleashed massive, churning displacement waves that radiated across the fjord.
Captain Matt Neill, Master of the RRS Sir David Attenborough, described the heart-pounding spectacle:
“At the time of calving, our ship was more than a kilometre away from the front of the glacier. Both the ship and our crew are well prepared to respond to events like this. As we saw the calving begin, [we] were able to quickly turn the ship into the safest position. It was incredible to see such a volume of ice shifting, and a reminder of the importance of the work we’re here to do.”
Related: Collapsing Greenland Glacier Sends Giant Tsunami Wave Crashing into Tour Boat (Video)
For a fleeting moment, as the giant displacement swells surged outward through the fjord, the rolling waves almost looked surfable to an untrained eye.
While novelty wave enthusiasts like Ben Gravy and Blair Conklin have famously surfed smaller calving glacier waves in Alaska and Norway, this apocalyptic scene was far too dangerous and unpredictable for any human to attempt to ride.
With skyscraper-sized ice blocks raining down relentlessly, no surfer could survive the raw, untamed fury of Mother Nature in that impact zone.
Recognizing the immense hazard, even the experienced polar research crew kept a healthy distance, maintaining their position over a kilometer away from the ice face.
While we’ve seen plenty of glacier collapses over the years, this massive 18-million-ton event stands among the most jaw-dropping displays of planetary power ever caught on camera.
Any takers? Didn’t think so.
Related: Massive Iceberg Collapse Creates One of the Biggest Glacier Waves Ever (Video)
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