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A translucent jellyfish swims above a textured ocean floor covered in dark, round formations, set against a dark background.

2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration

Dive 10: Northern Border Abyss (Dive Aborted)

August 3, 2026

Dive 10 was intended to take place on an abyssal plain within a kilometer (about six-tenths of a mile) from the boundary with American Samoa. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue with one of the remotely operated vehicles was encountered during the dive descent and the vehicles had to be recovered before reaching the seafloor. Once the vehicles were back on the ship, engineers began troubleshooting the issue and the rest of the mission team shifted into mapping mode, collecting seafloor mapping data during the transit to the next dive site.

This was the last dive of the first leg of this cruise, with July 30, July 31, and August 1 being reserved for personnel exchanges and a transit to the northwestern boundary of the Cook Islands’ EEZ.

A research vessel at twilight with a robotic arm lowering a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) into the ocean. A researcher in a life jacket is on the deck helping with the ROV tether.

Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer is recovered at the end of a dive during the 2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration cruise. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration. Download largest version (jpg, 7.1 MB).