On the 26th and 27th July 2019, the team carried out an expedition with the following objectives:
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Test new location technology in the search area
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Use the new technology to relocate ‘The Anomaly’, another wreck site which the previous 1970-1983 team didn’t get the chance to excavate due to bankruptcy
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Cross reference the coordinates of ‘The Anomaly’ provided by the new technology, with the coordinates documented in 1984 report by National Energy Authority (Orkustonun)
The distance from Reykjavik to the Search Area is nearly 400 km
On July 4, 2018, Alexey Dobrovolskiy and his research team used the same new UAV and GPR technology to locate a lost U.S. airplane from WW2 300 feet below the ice in Greenland.
EXPEDITION TEAMS
1667 TEAM
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- Allan Gray
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- Gisli Gislason
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- Gunnar Birgisson
UGCS TEAM
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- Ilya Omekhin
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- Alexey Dobrovolskiy
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- Kristaps Brass
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- Alexandr Luchnikov
TV TEAM
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- Jón Ársæll Thordarson
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- Steingrímur Jón Þórðarson
Day 1
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- 17:05 – Picking up one of the 1667 team member, Allan Gray from England
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- 17:52 – Picking up the UGCS team at Reykjavik airport arriving from Kulusuk
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- 20:26 – On the way to the site we stop for dinner and meeting
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- 20:27 – Discussing the next steps
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- 20:39 – Jon Arsæll prepared a leg of lamb for the guests
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- 21:40 – Preparations before we hit the road again
Day 2
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- 01:13 – After resting for one hour we were ready to head to the search area
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- 02:32 – We stopped on the way to look at the lava covered with Icelandic moss
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- 02:33 – Allan in the middle of nowhere
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- 03:29 – Going off-road. Gunnar taking air out of the tires
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- 03:46 – At the site where the former search team had their Base Camp
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- 04:00 – On our way to the sand
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- 04:02 – Gunnar leading the way, it’s easy to get stuck in the sand
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- 04:15 – Smooth ride when you know what you are doing
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- 04:17 – Arrived at the shore
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- 04:18 – Gisli going to dip his hand in the Atlantic Ocean
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- 04:19 – Stretching out before we head to the search area
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- 04:21 – Ready to go – 30 minutes drive on the shore to the search area
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- 05:04 – At the search area. Alexandr making final checks before starting the tests
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- 06:00 – Alexandr getting ready for the sand
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- 06:05 – Alexandr checking out the equipment
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- 06:16 – Waiting for results
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- 06:17 – Selfie: Gisli and Alexey
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- 06:26 – Ilya waiting for results
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- 06:34 – Alexandr at work
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- 07:15 – The seals were very curious, they hardly ever see humans
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- 07:40 – Alexandr discussing his findings explaining the next steps
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- 07:54 – Hot Dogs for breakfast. What were we going to eat in the middle of nowhere?
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- 08:27 – At last Alexandr was satisfied
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- 09:16 – Finally, it’s drone time. These guys know what they are doing
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- 09:25 – The Ground Penetrating Radar put into place
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- 10:00 – The drone scans the area and does the job in a few hours vs the years it took the last search team (1970-1983)
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- 10:12 – Allan and Gisli love gadgets. Time to pose with the drone
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- 11:54 – The team are hungry again so have lunch at the old abandoned Base Camp
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- 11:35 – It’s been a long day. Gisli and Gunnar take a short nap
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- 13:25 – Gunnar, making sure everything is going according to plan
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- 13:14 – Alexandr interviewed by the TV team. He had all the right answers
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- 13:43 The team start planning the next expedition
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- 13:45 – Allan is also going to be famous and, wondering why it hasn’t gone dark yet
THE END OF A LOOOOONG DAY!
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- 13:47 – The UGCS team was happy with the results
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- 13:49 – Gunnar ready to get the teams back of the sand
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- 17:39 – Checking out the data at Stora-Borg
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- 17:39 – The data has to be reviewed back in Russia
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- 17:40 – The guys were getting tired, but still excited
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- 20:49 – Returning the AMAZING TOURS cars after a 27 hour tour
Results & next steps :
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The technology from UCGS proved to work successfully on the sand
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We located ‘The Anomaly’ within a few hours and the coordinates where accurate
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We will now begin planning our next expedition which will hopefully take place in the summer of 2020. We’ll scan the whole search area (not just the parts of the area where the ‘The Anomaly’ was located)
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We will begin a fund raising round to continue the project and, resume discussions with the Dutch government