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News.com.au
5 days ago
- Science
- News.com.au
Missing man's remains found frozen 60 years later
The remains of a British researcher who died in Antarctica have been discovered nearly six decades after a tragic accident. Dennis 'Tink' Bell, at the time 25, fell into a crevasse during an Antarctic mission – leaving his devastated family unable to repatriate his body. Dennis's body was never recovered – until January 29, when a team of Polish researchers from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station stumbled upon bones later confirmed to be his. His brother, David Bell, told the BBC: 'I had long given up on finding my brother. It is just remarkable, astonishing. I can't get over it.' Born in 1934, Dennis worked with the RAF and trained as a meteorologist before joining the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey – later renamed the British Antarctic Survey. In 1958, he began a two-year posting at the UK base in Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. His main role was to send up weather balloons and radio the data back to the UK every three hours – work that meant firing up a generator in brutal subzero conditions. The base sat on King George Island – around 120km off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Archivist Ieuan Hopkins from the British Antarctic Survey unearthed detailed reports describing work on the 'ridiculously isolated' island. One report described Dennis as 'cheerful and industrious, with a mischievous sense of humour and fondness for practical jokes'. He was said to have loved the husky dogs that pulled sledges around the island and was known as the hut's best cook – often managing the food store through the long winter when no supplies could get in. The fatal accident happened just weeks after his 25th birthday, while Dennis was surveying King George Island to help map the terrain. On July 26 1959 – deep in the Antarctic winter – Dennis and his colleague and pal Jeff Stokes had climbed and surveyed a glacier. Dennis was encouraging the weary dogs but wasn't wearing his skis when he suddenly vanished into a crevasse, according to British Antarctic Survey accounts. Jeff shouted down to him and Dennis was able to call back, grabbing hold of a rope lowered in a rescue attempt. The dogs pulled at the rope, hauling Dennis – who had attached it to his belt – up towards the edge of the hole. But tragically, the belt broke and Dennis fell back into the crevasse. When Jeff called out again, Dennis didn't reply. David Bell recalled how, in July 1959, a telegram boy knocked on the door of the Bells' family home in Harrow, London to deliver the devastating news of Dennis' death. He said two men from Dennis's base later visited the family and brought a sheepskin as a gesture of sympathy. 'But there was no conclusion. There was no service; there was no anything. Just Dennis gone,' David says. David described feeling overwhelmed by the news and expressed his gratitude to the Polish researchers who found his remains. 'I'm just sad my parents never got to see this day,' he said. David, who lives in Australia, plans to visit England with his sister Valerie so they can lay their beloved brother to rest. 'It's wonderful; I'm going to meet my brother. You might say we shouldn't be thrilled, but we are,' David said. 'He's been found – he's come home now.' Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, paid tribute to Dennis: 'Dennis was one of the many brave 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.' Since 1944, 29 people have died working in the British Antarctic Territory on scientific missions, according to the British Antarctic Monument Trust. Among them were Alan Sharman and Russell Thompson, who also died in 1959. Meanwhile, last week a hiker who went missing in Pakistan 28 years ago was found dead inside an icy glacier – with his body and clothes shockingly well-preserved.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Science
- The Sun
Frozen remains of Brit adventurer, 25, lost in Antarctic are finally found after he vanished nearly 60 years ago
THE remains of a Brit researcher who died in Antarctica have been discovered nearly six decades after a tragic accident. Dennis 'Tink' Bell, at the time 25, fell into a crevasse during an Antarctic mission - leaving his devastated family unable to repatriate his body. 6 6 6 Dennis's body was never recovered until January 29 - when a team of Polish researchers from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station stumbled upon bones later confirmed to be his. His brother, David Bell, told the BBC: "I had long given up on finding my brother. It is just remarkable, astonishing. I can't get over it." Born in 1934, Dennis worked with the RAF and trained as a meteorologist before joining the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey - later renamed the British Antarctic Survey. In 1958, he began a two-year posting at the UK base in Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. His main role was to send up weather balloons and radio the data back to the UK every three hours - work that meant firing up a generator in brutal sub-zero conditions. The base sat on King George Island - around 75 miles off the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Archivist Ieuan Hopkins from the British Antarctic Survey unearthed detailed reports describing work on the "ridiculously isolated" island. One report described Dennis as "cheerful and industrious, with a mischievous sense of humour and fondness for practical jokes". He was said to have loved the husky dogs that pulled sledges around the island and was known as the hut's best cook - often managing the food store through the long winter when no supplies could get in. The fatal accident happened just weeks after his 25th birthday, while Dennis was surveying King George Island to help map the terrain. On July 26 1959 - deep in the Antarctic winter - Dennis and his colleague and pal Jeff Stokes had climbed and surveyed a glacier. Dennis was encouraging the weary dogs but wasn't wearing his skis when he suddenly vanished into a crevasse, according to British Antarctic Survey accounts. Jeff shouted down to him and Dennis was able to call back, grabbing hold of a rope lowered in a rescue attempt. The dogs pulled at the rope, hauling Dennis - who had attached it to his belt - up towards the edge of the hole. 6 6 But tragically, the belt broke and Dennis fell back into the crevasse. When Jeff called out again, Dennis didn't reply. David Bell recalled how, in July 1959, a telegram boy knocked on the door of the Bells' family home in Harrow, London to deliver the devastating news of Dennis' death. He said two men from Dennis's base later visited the family and brought a sheepskin as a gesture of sympathy. "But there was no conclusion. There was no service; there was no anything. Just Dennis gone," David says. David described feeling overwhelmed by the news and expressed his gratitude to the Polish researchers who found his remains. "I'm just sad my parents never got to see this day," he said. David, who lives in Australia, plans to visit England with his sister Valerie so they can lay their beloved brother to rest. "It's wonderful; I'm going to meet my brother. You might say we shouldn't be thrilled, but we are," David said. "He's been found - he's come home now." Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, paid tribute to Dennis: "Dennis was one of the many brave 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." Since 1944, 29 people have died working in the British Antarctic Territory on scientific missions, according to the British Antarctic Monument Trust. Among them were Alan Sharman and Russell Thompson, who also died in 1959.
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Glacier Melt Reveals Remains of Antarctic Meteorologist Lost 66 Years Ago
In 1959, 25-year-old meteorologist Dennis Bell disappeared into a glacial crevasse in the Antarctic before the eyes of his horrified colleague. 66 years later, a Polish team has finally discovered his remains in the wake of a receding glacier. Personnel from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on Antarctica's King George Island first found and recovered some of the remains on the Ecology Glacier in January, according to a statement by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The following month, a team including an archaeologist, geomorphologist, anthropologist, and glaciologist returned to the site to conduct a more thorough archaeological survey. Denise Syndercombe Court, a forensic geneticist at King's College London, conducted DNA tests of the human remains, which matched with samples from Bell's brother and sister. 'When my sister Valerie and I were notified that our brother Dennis had been found after 66 years we were shocked and amazed,' David Bell said in the statement. '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.' Dennis Bell joined the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS, the predecessor of BAS) as a meteorologist in 1958. At the time of the accident, he was stationed at Admiralty Bay, a UK base on King George Island. King George Island is around 74.6 miles (120 kilometers) off the northern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, and its peak is permanently covered in glaciers. On 26 July 1959—the middle of the southern hemisphere's winter—Bell and three colleagues with two dog sledges climbed a glacier to conduct fieldwork. The group split into pairs, and Bell and surveyor Jeff Stokes set off before the others. During the ascent, Bell moved ahead of the sledge without his skis to encourage the tiring dogs and disappeared into a crevasse. Bell survived the fall, however, and Stokes threw a rope down to him to pull him back up. Bell, however, had tied the rope around his belt rather than around himself. When his body reached the top of the crevice, he got stuck, the belt broke, and this time he fell to his death. Of Ice and Men, a book by former BAS director Vivian Fuchs, describes the event as 'a particularly tragic fatality which one really felt should never have happened, and thus doubly grievous,' as cited in the statement. Researchers discovered his remains along with over 200 personal items, including the remains of radio equipment, ski poles, a flashlight, an inscribed wristwatch, and a Swedish Mora knife. Bell Point on King George Island is named in his honor. 'Even though he was lost in 1959, his memory lived on among colleagues and in the legacy of polar research,' said BAS director Jane Francis. 'This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science.'
France 24
6 days ago
- Science
- France 24
UK scientist's remains found on Antarctic glacier 66 years on
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 UK'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 UK 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.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Remains of British man who died in Antarctica found in melting glacier 66 years later
The remains of a British meteorologist who died in Antarctica 66 years ago have been discovered in a melting glacier, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has confirmed. Dennis "Tink" Bell, then 25, perished on July 26, 1959, after falling into a crevasse on a glacier at Admiralty Bay on King George Island. His remains were located by a team from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on January 19, exposed by a receding glacier, the BAS announced Monday. Bone fragments were transported to the Falkland Islands aboard the BAS Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough, then handed to Malcolm Simmons, the coroner for British Antarctic Territory, who brought them to London from Stanley. DNA testing at King's College London definitively matched the remains with samples from Mr Bell's brother, David, and his sister, Valerie Kelly. 'When my sister Valerie and I were notified that our brother Dennis had been found after 66 years we were shocked and amazed,' David Bell, now living in Australia, said. '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.' Mapped: Admiralty Bay on King George Island Bell trained as a radio operator in the Royal Air Force before joining the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (Fids) as a meteorologist in 1958. He was stationed for a two-year assignment at Admiralty Bay, a small UK base with half a dozen men, on King George Island – one of the South Shetland Islands which lie in the Southern Ocean about 124 miles off the northern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. On July 26 1959, Mr Bell and three of his colleagues – meteorologist Ken Gibson, surveyor Jeff Stokes, and geologist Colin Barton – left base with two dog sledges to climb the glacier and carry out survey and geological work. But on the way up, the soft snow made the journey difficult, and the dogs began to show signs of tiredness. 'To encourage them Bell went ahead… tragically without his skis,' the BAS said. 'Suddenly he disappeared leaving a gaping hole in the crevasse bridge through which he had fallen.' According to accounts in the British Antarctic Survey records, Mr Stokes made a first attempt at lifting Mr Bell out of the hole using a rope. But Mr Bell had tied the rope around his belt, which broke as he reached the lip of the crevasse. After this second fall, Mr Bell no longer responded to calls from Mr Stokes. 'That's a story I shall never get over,' Mr Bell's brother David told the BBC. Mr Stokes later met with Gibson and Barton coming down the glacier, and the three men made another attempt at finding Mr Bell. But weather conditions rapidly deteriorated, and they were not able to reach the crevasse in time, according to the BAS records. 'It was probably 12 hours before we found the site and there was no way he could have survived,' Ken Gibson said. 'The confirmation of the remains found on Ecology Glacier as those of Dennis 'Tink' Bell is both a poignant and profound moment for all of us at British Antarctic Survey,' Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of BAS, said. '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.' David Bell added: 'Dennis was the oldest of three siblings and was my hero as he seemed to be able to turn his hand to anything, servicing petrol engines, photography including processing his own films.' The Polish expedition which recovered Mr Bell's remains also found over 200 personal 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.
