The world"s largest iceberg has broken into pieces

Giant iceberg A23a has split: the area of the ice colossus has decreased by a third. This was reported by the press service of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.

During the past Antarctic winter, the legendary iceberg lost more than a third of its mass: while in June A23a extended over 2730 square kilometers, now its area has decreased to 1750 square kilometers.

Currently, the ice giant is drifting just 70 kilometers north of South Georgia Island. In recent months, the iceberg has traveled an impressive distance of about 930 kilometers, circling the island under the influence of ocean currents.

A23a began its journey in 1986 when it broke off from the Filchner Ice Shelf. At birth, its area was an impressive 4170 square kilometers. Surprisingly, it remained stationary in the Weddell Sea for three decades until it finally headed toward the open ocean in 2023. By early 2025, the iceberg reached South Georgia, where it was trapped in shallow waters for several months, but then continued its journey again.