Indian Ocean exploration makes historic undersea broadcast

The Nekton Mission involves researchers from more than 40 organizations who will spend seven weeks surveying underwater life, mapping the sea floor and dropping sensors to depths of up to 2,000 meters in the seas around Seychelles.

The science vessel of British-based Nekton Mission arrives in the Seychelles to begin the first stage of a multi-year mission to explore the depths of the Indian Ocean and document the effects of global warming on one of the planet's last major unexplored 

Ocean Zephyr, the mothership of the Nekton Mission, make final preparations before the world's first live video transmission from a submersible near the tiny atoll of Alphonse. (Photo | AP)

A small boat carrying Stephanie Marie, a young scientist from the Seychelles, reaches a submersible for a technical test dive near the tiny Alphonse atoll. (Photo | AP)

Nekton Mission principle scientist (L) alongside pilot Randy Holt inside a submersible 60 metres below surface of the ocean during a descent into the waters. (Photo | AP)

A submersible from the Ocean Zephyr vessel during a descent into the ocean. (Photo | AP)

Another submersible from the vessel during a descent into the Ocean. (Photo | AP)

Members of the research team board submersible vessels and descend into the waters. (Photo | AP)

Survey Chief Mike Pownall explains the results of seabed mapping conducted. (Photo | AP)