World's largest iceberg on collision course with British overseas territory - 'Game of Thrones-style ice wall'
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The world’s largest iceberg is on a collision course with a British overseas territory, risking the lives of the island’s inhabitants.
Known as the "queen of icebergs", A23a broke free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands last month and is now heading towards South Georgia.
The island in the South Atlantic Ocean is a British territory and a haven for wildlife such as penguins and seals.
The floating giant, which is twice the size of Greater London, is now just 173 miles away from the British overseas territory and is predicted to make contact in two to four weeks.
A23a broke free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands last month
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Depending on how shallow the water is, it could either wedge itself in or slide past.
If the megaberg hits, it could cause the death of countless animals. Researchers fear the iceberg could block the animals' path to food. This would make it hard for penguin parents to feed their babies which could result in starvation.
British Antarctic Survey physical oceanographer Andrew Meijers, who has examined A23a extensively, said: “The iceberg itself is colossal and it stretches from horizon to horizon.
“It’s a huge wall, a Game of Thrones-style wall of ice that towers above the ship. With some waves breaking against it and if you get a bit of sunshine coming through, it’s really dramatic.”
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South Georgia is home to colonies of King Emperor penguinFlickr
South Georgia island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean
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Meijers said that its making its way towards the territory at a glacial pace of one meter every three to seven seconds, much slower than one mile per hour.
It first broke off from Antarctica in 1986, and remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea for over 30 years before it began its slow journey north in 2020.
It then became trapped in an ocean vortex, which kept it spinning in one place for months.
In December, it finally broke free where it was slingshotted towards South Georgia by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
The island is a haven for wildlife such as penguins and seals
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“Icebergs are inherently dangerous. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us,” sea captain Simon Wallace told the BBC, speaking from the South Georgia government vessel Pharos.
“We have searchlights on all night to try to see ice, it can come from nowhere.”
South Georgia is home to colonies of King Emperor penguins and millions of elephant seals and fur seals.
In 2004, an iceberg called A38 grounded on the continental shelf to the north-east of the island, wiping out much of the wildlife population as the berg blocked them from accessing their foraging routes.
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