China’s manned submersible Jiaolong recently completed its fifth dive test in the Pacific Ocean, during which it reached a depth of 5,180 meters, the State Oceanic Administration said on Tuesday.
The administration said that Monday’s dive saw the submersible conducting a series of undersea missions, including collecting sediment and microbe samples.
The Jiaolong has conducted four complete dives in the Pacific Ocean since July 21, reaching 5,188 meters during its deepest dive, according to the administration.
The Jiaolong, designed to reach a maximum depth of 7,000 meters, completed 17 dives in the South China Sea between May 31 and July 18 last year, reaching 3,759 meters during its deepest dive.
China is the fifth country to send a man 3,500 meters below sea level, following the US, France, Russia and Japan.
Xinhua