File photo: Jiaolong, China's manned submersible, is about to dive into South China Sea, May 5, 2017. Jiaolong discovered a collection of polymetallic nodules in Puyuan Seamount in the South China Sea on Friday. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)
ON BOARD SHIP XIANGYANGHONG 09, May 30 (Xinhua) -- China's manned submersible Jiaolong plans to descend to 6,700 in the Mariana Trench on Tuesday.
Tuesday's mission will be Jiaolong's fourth dive in the trench this year.
Jiaolong's first dive took place on May 23, with Xinhua News Agency journalist Liu Shiping descending inside the submersible along with scientists to a depth of 4,811 meters. The second and third dives on May 25 and 27, reached depths of 6,300 meters and 6,544 meters respectively.
While collecting biological samples in the third dive, fixing devices were used to keep the creatures' genetic material intact when it reached surface, said Zhang Haibin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
