This massive iceberg twice the size of London is on collision course with islands in the Atlantic: here’s what we know

There is concern for A23a, the world’s largest iceberg, as it continues to migrate northwards into the Scotia Sea. Scientists tracking the colossal, 1,400 square mile-iceberg fear it may be on a collision course with a group of islands, and could severely impact local wildlife.

The British Overseas Territory of South Georgia is part of the South Sandwich Islands, lying around 870 miles east of the Falkland Islands. It has suffered numerous run-ins with icebergs in the past. A-38, the largest iceberg observed during the 90s, grounded off the island in 2004. It cut off vital foraging routes for seals and penguins. Unable to feed their young, many pups and chicks died of starvation.

Iceberg heading towards island group, populated by king penguins, seals, albatrosses

The South Georgia group and South Sandwich Islands region is one of the world’s largest Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and is renowned for its rich biodiversity and rare marine species. Five of the eight notothenioid families are present in the South Georgia demersal fish fauna, including icefish, toothfish, marbled rockcod and many others. It is home to 1,445 species from 436 families in 22 phyla.

An environmental disaster is almost certain if A23a continues its trajectory north. According to recent sightings, the iceberg is around 400 meters thick and is melting and breaking apart as it drifts north.

Where is the A23a iceberg now?

While there is a chance that A23a could run aground on South Georgia, it is more likely that it will melt and break apart as it reaches warmer waters - which we have seen with most other migrating icebergs as they enter Iceberg Alley. It is currently trapped in a Taylor Column - a rotating cylindrical current, spinning 15 degrees anticlockwise, just north of the South Orkney Islands.

Simon Wallace, captain of South Georgia government vessel Pharos, told BBC News, “You have to have a very healthy respect for the ice. Because if you don’t, it will get you. It can come out of nowhere and when you get something the size of A23a, it comes along and it deposits thousands of tonnes of ice, they just hang around the island and it makes things a lot more tricky. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us”.

For now, the US Coast Guard is closely monitoring A23a‘s position and movement. We will see where it ends up, bringing to an end the journey it began when it calved from the Filchner Ice Sheet in 1986.

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