BEIJING -- The ship carrying China's deep-diving submersible Jiaolong reached the northwestern Pacific Ocean 2 p.m. Saturday (Beijing time) where the submerisble will make a 5,000-meter dive.

The submersible is the world's first manned submersible designed to reach depths of 7,000 meters below sea level, according to Xu Qinan, the submersible's chief designer.

During the dive, the submersible will undergo several operational tests in which it will take photos, shoot video, survey seabeds and take samples from the ocean floor, according to Jin Jiancai, deputy director of the submersible's diving test program team.