Modern Mysteries

Glacier reveals remains of man who disappeared 66 years ago

By T.K. Randall
August 11, 2025

Image: Antarctica - Petermann Island (illustrative)
Credit: W. Bulach / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) On that tragic day, Bell and his colleagues had taken two dog sledges out to a glacier in Admiralty Bay on King George Island to conduct research in the austral deep winter.

When the team struggled to make it through deep snow, Bell had gone on ahead to help urge the dogs to continue. Unable to see where he was going properly, he stepped into the opening of a crevasse and promptly vanished from sight.

His colleagues rushed over to help and after calling out, heard him answering from deep below.

They were able to lower a rope down for him to tie onto himself and proceeded to use the dogs to help pull him to safety, but after reaching the lip of the crevasse, Bell's belt broke - sending him plunging back down into the bitter darkness.This time, when the men called out to him, there was no answer.

Despite deteriorating conditions, his colleagues continued efforts to help him until eventually it became apparent that he had not survived and they were forced to return to base.

That would have been the last anyone ever saw of Bell, but then recently, the receding glacier finally deposited his remains, along with a number of other items, out into the open.

A DNA test quickly determined that the bone fragments were indeed those of Bell.

While tragic, at least now his remains can finally be brought home.

Source: bas.co.uk

Tags: Antarctica