Deep-sea manned submersible starts record-breaking 124-day expedition

China's deep-sea manned submersible Jiaolong departed its home port of Qingdao, Shandong province, on Monday to start its longest mission to date - a 124-day expedition.

Carried by its mother ship, Xiangyanghong 09, the submersible is scheduled to explore the northwest Indian Ocean polymetallic sulfides zone, the South China Sea, the Yap Trench and Mariana Trench in the Western Pacific during China's 38th oceanic exploration mission, set to conclude on June 9.

Organized by the Qingdao-based National Deep Sea Center, the mission will be carried out by more than 150 researchers from about 20 scientific research institutions nationwide.