What's 10 km Under Sea Surface? This Filipino Scientist Returns from There

Deo Florence Onda has completed a historic dive to Emden Deep, the third deepest place on earth. Emden Deep is located in the Philippine Trench and is 10 kilometers deep.

The Filipino scientist resurfaced in the deep-sea submersible DSV Limiting Factor, along with American explorer Victor Vescovo, making Onda the first Filipino to not only reach this depth, but also the first one to explore the Philippine Trench.

How Deep Is Emden Deep Compared to the Two Deepest Points on Earth?

All three deepest points on earth have depths of more than 10 kilometers. These are Emden Deep, Horizon Deep, and Challenger Deep. 

Emden Deep has a depth of 10,045 meters. The second-deepest point on earth is the Horizon Deep located in Tonga Trench off the coast of New Zealand, which has a depth of 10,800 meters. Challenger Deep, which is located in the Mariana Trench in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, has a depth of 10,929 meters. 

The Emden Deep is located in the Philippine Trench which is located in the Philippine Sea. Until Onda's dive, no deep-sea explorations have been made in Emden Deep. 

Onda's Return

Onda came out of the one-of-a-kind submersible with a huge smile and yup, the Philippine flag proudly in his hands! Pictures posted by DSSV Pressure Drop, the vessel carrying Onda and Vescovo's team, to Facebook around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23 show Limiting Factor breaching the surface after the historic journey.

Onda and Vescovo were the two-man team who dove into the trench using the Limiting Factor. Onda, a microbial oceanographer of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, was invited by Vescovo and his foundation, Caladan Oceanic, to be a part of this exploration of one of the world's least-studied areas. 

The two left their home vessel, DSSV Pressure Drop, in the early morning of March 22. By noon, a video of the crew aboard the ship celebrating a touchdown of 10,045 meters was uploaded to their Facebook page.

 Source: Spot.ph