U.K. scientist's remains found on Antarctic glacier 66 years on
LONDON, U.K. — The remains of a British meteorologist who died in an Antarctic expedition in 1959 have been recovered six decades later from a glacier, the British Antarctic Survey said Monday.
They were identified by DNA-testing as those of Dennis 'Tink' Bell, who died aged 25 when he was working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, which became the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the U.K.'s polar research institute.
Bell died on Admiralty Bay on King George Island, located 120 kilometres (75 miles) off the coast of Antarctica on July 26, 1959.
He was stationed on the island for a two-year assignment at a small U.K. research base.
Bell and three other men had set out to climb and survey a glacier, when he fell through a crevasse -- a deep chasm in the ice. His body was never recovered.
The remains, which were exposed by a receding glacier, were found on January 19 by a team from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station.
'This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science,' said BAS director Jane Francis.
The bone fragments were carried to the Falkland Islands by the BAS Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough, and then brought to London for DNA testing.
Alongside his remains, the Polish team also found over 200 personal items including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed wristwatch and a Swedish-brand knife.
Bell's brother David Bell, who lives in Australia, said the discovery after 66 years left him and his sister 'shocked and amazed'.
'Dennis was the oldest of three siblings and was my hero as he seemed to be able to turn his hand to anything,' said his brother.
Francis said the confirmation of the remains 'is both a poignant and profound moment for all of us at British Antarctic Survey'.
Bell 'was one of the many brave ... personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions,' she added.
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CTV News
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U.K. scientist's remains found on Antarctic glacier 66 years on
FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2015 file photo, wooden arrows show the distances to various cities on King George Island, Antarctica. LONDON, U.K. — The remains of a British meteorologist who died in an Antarctic expedition in 1959 have been recovered six decades later from a glacier, the British Antarctic Survey said Monday. They were identified by DNA-testing as those of Dennis 'Tink' Bell, who died aged 25 when he was working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, which became the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the U.K.'s polar research institute. Bell died on Admiralty Bay on King George Island, located 120 kilometres (75 miles) off the coast of Antarctica on July 26, 1959. He was stationed on the island for a two-year assignment at a small U.K. research base. Bell and three other men had set out to climb and survey a glacier, when he fell through a crevasse -- a deep chasm in the ice. His body was never recovered. The remains, which were exposed by a receding glacier, were found on January 19 by a team from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station. 'This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science,' said BAS director Jane Francis. The bone fragments were carried to the Falkland Islands by the BAS Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough, and then brought to London for DNA testing. Alongside his remains, the Polish team also found over 200 personal items including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed wristwatch and a Swedish-brand knife. Bell's brother David Bell, who lives in Australia, said the discovery after 66 years left him and his sister 'shocked and amazed'. 'Dennis was the oldest of three siblings and was my hero as he seemed to be able to turn his hand to anything,' said his brother. Francis said the confirmation of the remains 'is both a poignant and profound moment for all of us at British Antarctic Survey'. Bell 'was one of the many brave ... personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions,' she added.
Global News
a day ago
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Remains of Antarctic explorer found 66 years after he went missing
The bones of a British explorer who went missing more than six decades ago after an accident in Antarctica have been found, along with hundreds of personal effects. The remains were discovered by a Polish Arctic expedition among rocks exposed by a melting glacier in January, the British Antarctic Survey announced Monday. The bones were identified as belonging to Dennis Bell, a meteorologist who died at the age of 25 while working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), the predecessor to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Bell was killed after falling into a crevasse on a glacier at Admiralty Bay on King George Island off the Antarctic Peninsula on July 26, 1959, but his body was never recovered. His bones were discovered with more than 200 items, including the remains of radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed Erguel wristwatch, a Swedish Mora knife, ski poles and an ebonite pipe stem, the British organization said. Story continues below advertisement The skeleton was sent for testing at King's College London, where it was matched with DNA samples from his brother David Bell and his sister Valerie Kelly. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy They are 'more than one billion times' more likely to be related than not, Denise Syndercombe Court, professor in forensic genetics, told the British Antarctic Survey. View image in full screen Dennis Bell (left) with his colleagues and the dogs that helped them work in Antarctica. Midwinter 1959 at Admiralty Bay Base. British Antarctic Survey David, 86, who now lives in Australia, told the BBC he could not believe that his brother had been found after 66 years. Story continues below advertisement 'I had long given up on finding my brother. It is just remarkable, astonishing. I can't get over it,' he said. In a separate statement, he thanked those who helped discover and return his brother's body. 'The British Antarctic Survey and British Antarctic Monument Trust have been a tremendous support and together with the sensitivity of the Polish team in bringing him home have helped us come to terms with the tragic loss of our brilliant brother,' he told BAS. The young scientist contributed to early scientific exploration in the Antarctic and is revered in his field to this day. Prof. Jane Francis, director of BAS, said the discovery of Bell's body marked a significant moment and pointed to the dangers of his profession. 'Dennis was one of the many brave FIDS personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions. Even though he was lost in 1959, his memory lived on among colleagues and in the legacy of polar research. This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science,' she said. David described Dennis, the eldest sibling, as his 'hero (who) seemed to be able to turn his hand to anything.' Story continues below advertisement He could service gas engines, was a skilled photographer, built a radio from scratch and would spend hours transcribing Morse code. Bell worked a stint in the Royal Air Force before joining the FIDS as a meteorologist in 1958. He was stationed for a two-year assignment at Admiralty Bay, a small U.K. base with half a dozen men on King George Island, when he was killed.
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