New island discovered in Antarctica's Weddell Sea
10/04/2026
New Island Discovered in Antarctica by Polarstern Expedition
A German research team aboard the icebreaker Polarstern has discovered an uncharted island in the northwestern Weddell Sea. The 93‑member international expedition, operating in early 2026, was forced to seek shelter near Joinville Island during rough weather when crew members spotted what appeared to be a dirty iceberg. Closer inspection revealed exposed rock — a landmass missing from official nautical charts.
Bathymetry specialist Simon Dreutter and the team redirected the vessel, approaching within 150 metres to map the seabed and deploy a drone for aerial imaging. The newly identified island measures roughly 130 metres long, 50 metres wide, and rises about 16 metres above sea level.
Its absence from charts remains unexplained; satellite images had previously mistaken it for an iceberg due to its ice cover.
The Alfred Wegener Institute will now begin the formal naming process and ensure the island is added to international charts and scientific datasets. Meanwhile, the expedition continues its broader mission: studying rapid sea‑ice decline, shifting water masses, and the outflow from the Larsen Ice Shelf — key factors influencing global ocean circulation.
The mission concluded in the Falkland Islands before Polarstern returned to Bremerhaven.
Click here to see cruises to the Weddell Sea


Read more on the Alfred Wegener Institute website
