English: Pictured is A-68(a) one of the largest ever recorded icebergs floating near the island of South Georgia, South Atlantic.

Also shown is A-68(d) which broke from A-68(a) approximately 17th Dec 2020 as well as smaller pieces separated from the main body of ice.

Unlike other large icebergs, A68a is considered unusually ‘thin’, with its submerged depth presumed to be no more than 200 metres.

This means it has the potential to drift near South Georgia’s coast prior to any grounding.

It has already entered the 1.24million km2 Marine Protected Area which surrounds South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, sparking concerns regarding the threat it could pose to the wildlife.

Ice debris has already started to break away, caused by A68a drifting through warmer waters near the South Orkney islands.

To aide with the collation of information, an RAF ATLAS based at RAF Mount Pleasant is to provide reconnaissance of the iceberg, providing a closer look at a level not always achievable through satellite imagery.

The sorties aim to gather data in the form of imagery stills, video footage and observations from the crew, focussing on any obvious large fissures or potential fault lines along the edge and middle of the iceberg.

• Organization: RAF
• Object Name: MPC-OFFICIAL-20201221-479-0976
• Category: MOD
• Keywords: Ice, Freezing, Cold, Climate, Weather, Deep, Ocean, Water, Scenery, Landscape, Environment, Terrain, BFSAI, Iceberg, South Atlantic, A-68(a), Royal Air Force, RAF, RAF Stations (Overseas), RAF Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant Complex, Falkland Islands, Location, Barracks, Locations, Overseas, Ministry of Defence, MoD
• Country: South Atlantic