KILPISJÄRVI, Finland – As bubbles rippled across the frigid Finnish lake, diver Daan Jacobs emerged from a hole carved out of the thick, crackling ice.
The journey had taken him 8 meters (26 feet) beneath the surface, where sunlight filtered through the Arctic ice and fish swam around a rock formation. It’s a remote place few will ever see, especially in winter, when snow blankets the ice and temperatures on land approach minus 40 degrees in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
kAmqFE y24@3D[ 2 3:@5:G6CD:EJ 25G:D6C 😕 E96 }6E96C=2?5D[ 😀 @?6 @7 2 8C@H:?8 ?F>36C @7 7@CEF?2E6 F?56CH2E6C 6IA=@C6CD]k^Am
In this photo provided by Pata Degerman, participants in a Polar Scientific Diving class look into an ice hole as a diver descends beneath the surface in Kilpisjärvi, Finland, March 4, 2025.
Pata Degerman – Pata Degerman
kAmw6 H2D A2CE @7 E96 !@=2C $4:6?E:7:4 s:G:?8 4=2DD 😕 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^7:?=2?5Qm72C ?@CE9 @7 u:?=2?5k^2m 62C=:6C E9:D >@?E9[ 2 AC@8C2> 56D:8?65 3J E96 u:??:D9 $4:6?E:7:4 s:G:?8 p4256>J E@ EC2:? E96 ?6IE 86?6C2E:@? @7 D4:6?E:DED 2?5 C6D62C496CD E@ 5:G6 36?62E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^4=:>2E6\2?5\6?G:C@?>6?EQmE96 pC4E:4 2?5 p?E2C4E:4 :46k^2m E@ DEF5J E96 7=@C2 2?5 72F?2 36=@H]k^Am
kAm“%96 G:6H 😀 362FE:7F=[” y24@3D D2:5[ 8F=A:?8 7@C 2:C 7@==@H:?8 9:D cd\>:?FE6 5:G6]k^Am
kAm%96 pC4E:4 😀 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2C4E:4\4=:>2E6\492?86\D62\:46\=@DD\>6=E\2d4cd6_5a66g`2f574b4g`e7a66c5724QmH2C>:?8 7@FC E:>6D 72DE6Ck^2m E92? E96 C6DE @7 E96 A=2?6E] uC@> :>A24E:?8 H@C=5H:56 H62E96C A2EE6C?D E@ >2<:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9@H\H2C>:?8\27764ED\A@=2C\362CD\D62\:46\2C4E:4\6d52eb_525gfd5ghbhg67d2ecbeh_222QmE96 A@=2C 362C A@AF=2E:@?k^2m D>2==6C[ H62<6C 2?5 9F?8C:6C[ 3642FD6 E96J C6=J @? E96 D62 :46 E@ 9F?E 7C@>[ 9:896C E6>A6C2EFC6D 2E E96 }@CE9 !@=6 DA6== 5:D2DE6C 7@C E96 6?E:C6 8=@36]k^Am
Ruari Buijs, a marine biology and oceanography student, right, and Caroline Chen, a scientific diver and research assistant, prepare to dive during a Polar Scientific Diving class in Kilpisjärvi, March 15, 2026.
Kostya Manenkov – AP
kAmx? p?E2C4E:42[ >62?H9:=6[ 8=@32= H2C>:?8 😀 =625:?8 E@ >6=E:?8 @7 :46 D966ED[ AC@>AE:?8 D62 =6G6= C:D6 2?5 5:DCFAE:?8 @462? 64@DJDE6>D]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8mwF>2? 5:G6CD DE:== ?66565k^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAm$@ D4:6?E:DED ?665 E@ DEF5J H92EVD F?56C?62E9 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2>3=6C\2446DD\C@25\2=2D<2\ECF>A\:?FA:2B\dfebhe3__a5edf__3`a2_eb3`_deh6h_QmC6>2:?:?8 pC4E:4k^2m — 2?5 p?E2C4E:4 — :46[ 2?5 56E6C>:?6 9@H 4=:>2E6 492?86 😀 27764E:?8 E96 A=2?ED 2?5 2?:>2=D E92E 92G6 EC25:E:@?2==J DFCG:G65 2=@?8 E96 D627=@@C H:E9 =:EE=6 E@ ?@ DF?=:89E] qFE 42CCJ:?8 @FE DF49 C6D62C49 C6BF:C6D DA64:2=:K65 D4F32 5:G:?8 D<:==D A=FD E96 AC@A6C D4:6?E:7:4 324<8C@F?5 — BF2=:7:42E:@?D E92E 6IA6CED D2J @?=J 2 76H 9F?5C65 A6@A=6 😕 E96 H@C=5 4FCC6?E=J 92G6]k^Am
kAm%96 u:??:D9 $4:6?E:7:4 s:G:?8 p4256>J’D 4=2DD 2:>D E@ ?@E @?=J EC2:? >@C6 5:G6CD[ 3FE 2=D@ E@ 4@?G:?46 E96 H@C=5 E92E E96 A@=2C :46 4C:D:D C6BF:C6D 255:E:@?2= C6D62C49]k^Am
kAm“q642FD6 :E 😀 >6=E:?8 D@ 72DE[ H6 ?665 E@ 92G6 >@C6 A6@A=6 56A=@J65 E96C6 — >@C6 D4:6?46 E@ 36 5@?6 — E@ F?56CDE2?5 36EE6C H92E 92AA6?D[” D2:5 tC:< (FCK[ 2 >2C:?6 3:@=@8:DE 2?5 @?6 @7 E96 4=2DDVD D4:6?E:7:4 5:G:?8 :?DECF4E@CD] “(6 92G6 E@ 5@ >@C6 2?5 H6 ?665 E@ 36 72DE E@ D2G6 E9:D F?:BF6 64@DJDE6> 😕 E96 pC4E:4[ 3FE 2=D@ E96 p?E2C4E:4]”k^Am
In this photo provided by Pata Degerman, a diver swims under the ice during a Polar Scientific Diving class in Kilpisjärvi, Finland, March 13, 2024.
Pata Degerman – Pata Degerman
kAmp?5 😕 2 H@C=5 E92E’D :?4C62D:?8=J @FED@FC4:?8 H@C< E@ 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 2?5 C@3@ED[ qC:E:D9 p?E2C4E:4 $FCG6J >2C:?6 3:@=@8:DE $:>@? |@C=6J D2:5 E92E 9F>2? 92?5D 2C6 DE:== ?646DD2CJ 7@C E9:D] sC288:?8 ?6ED 24C@DD E96 D627=@@C H@F=5 56DEC@J E96 923:E2E[ 2?5 2 C6>@E6=J @A6C2E65 DF3>6CD:3=6 @C C@3@E 42? FDF2==J @?=J A:4< FA @?6 DA64:>6? 2E 2 E:>6]k^Am
kAm“p 5:G6C 42? 8@ 5@H? 2?5 A:4< FA `a FC49:?D[ AFE E96> 😕 2 328 2?5 ?@E 27764E E96 C6DE @7 E96 DJDE6>[” D2:5 |@C=6J[ H9@ :D?VE A2CE @7 E96 4@FCD6]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8mr92==6?8:?8 4@?5:E:@?Dk^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAmsFC:?8 6249 `_\52J D6DD:@?[ E96 24256>JVD :?DECF4E@CD 5C:== 2 5@K6? 6IA6C:6?465 5:G6CD @? 2 7C@K6? =2<6 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 w6=D:?<:VD z:=A:D;äCG: q:@=@8:42= $E2E:@?] %96 AC@8C2> 3682? 😕 a_ac 2?5 E96 56>2?5 92D 2==@H65 E96> E@ 255 2 D64@?5 D6DD:@? A6C J62C]k^Am
A snowmobile parked at Lake Kilpisjärvi during a Polar Scientific Diving class in Kilpisjärvi, Finland, March 15, 2026.
Kostya Manenkov – AP
kAm%96 A2CE:4:A2?ED C2?86 7C@> >2C:?6 2?5 7C6D9H2E6C 3:@=@8:DED 2?5 @E96C D4:6?E:DED E@ 9:89=J D<:==65 C64C62E:@?2= 5:G6CD 2?5 5@4F>6?E2CJ 7:=>>2<6CD]k^Am
kAm#F2C: qF:;D[ 2 >2C:?6 3:@=@8J 2?5 @462?@8C2A9J DEF56?E 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 !=J>@FE9 😕 t?8=2?5[ F=E:>2E6=J H2?ED E@ H@C< 😕 p?E2C4E:42 2?5 C6D62C49 >2C:?6 >68272F?2] w6 6?C@==65 😕 E9:D >@?E9VD A@=2C 5:G:?8 4=2DD 😕 2? 677@CE E@ 36 >@C6 6>A=@J23=6 FA@? 8C25F2E:@?]k^Am
kAm“x E9@F89E E9:D H@F=5 36 2 G6CJ 8@@5 DE6AA:?8 DE@?6 E@H2C5 E92E 8@2=[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm|62?H9:=6[ r2C@=:?6 r96?[ 2 D4:6?E:7:4 5:G6C 2?5 C6D62C49 2DD:DE2?E 😕 v6C>2?J[ D2:5 :E’D 96C 5C62> E@ 5:G6 😕 E96 A@=2C C68:@?D] $96 36=:6G6D E92E 96C 6IA6C:6?46 😕 E9:D 4@FCD6 H:== 96=A 96C 56D:8? 7FEFC6 6IA6C:>6?ED 😕 DF49 492==6?8:?8 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am
Caroline Chen, a scientific diver and research assistant, smiles before diving during a Polar Scientific Diving class in Kilpisjärvi, Finland, Finland, March 15, 2026.
Kostya Manenkov – AP
kAm%96 DEF56?ED >FDE =62C? >@C6 E92? ;FDE 5:G:?8 F?56C :46 E92EVD ?62C=J 2 >6E6C W2C@F?5 E9C66 766EX E9:4< 2?5 :?E@ H2E6C E6>A6C2EFC6D E92E 9@G6C ;FDE 23@G6 7C66K:?8] u@C DE2CE6CD[ E96C6VD E96 7C:8:5 2:C E6>A6C2EFC6D 2?5 H9:AA:?8 H:?5D @G6C {2<6 z:=A:D;äCG:]k^Am
kAm%92E 492==6?86D E96 E@AD:56 DFAA@CE E62>[ H9:49 >FDE @A6C2E6 6BF:A>6?E E@ <66A E96 5:G6C D276 H9:=6 76?5:?8 @77 E96:C @H? C:D< @7 7C@DE3:E6] %96J 2=D@ 92G6 E@ =62C? 9@H E@ 364@>6 D276EJ 5:G6CD 😕 42D6 @7 2? 6>6C86?4J[ =:<6 :7 E96 AC:>2CJ 5:G6C 42?VE 7:?5 E96 9@=6 😕 E96 :46 E@ DFC7246 27E6C cd >:?FE6D 36=@H]k^Am
kAmqFE @?46 E96JVC6 F?56CH2E6C[ E96 5:G6CD D2J :EVD 2? :?4C65:3=6 6IA6C:6?46] sFC:?8 E9:D >@?E9VD D6DD:@?[ E96 8C@FA 5:G65 36?62E9 :46 C@F89=J g_ 46?E:>6E6CD W2C@F?5 a½ 766EX E9:4<] r96? DA@EE65 D@>6 7:D9 2=@?8 E96 D62 7=@@C 2?5 E96? E@@< 2 >@>6?E E@ =@@< E@ E96 DFC7246 2D DF?=:89E DEC62>65 E9C@F89 E96 :46[ D66>:?8=J >:>:4<:?8 2?@E96C pC4E:4 A96?@>6?@?]k^Am
kAm“xE =@@ E96 3@EE@> FA[” r96? D2:5] “xE 492?86D 2== E96 E:>6[ =:<6 E96 }@CE96C? {:89ED]”k^Am
kAmqF:;D D2:5 E92E E96 4@=5 5@6D?VE 27764E E96 4@G6C65 A2CED @7 2 5:G6CVD 3@5J] qFE E96 2C62 2C@F?5 E96:C >@FE9 C6>2:?D 6IA@D65 F?56CH2E6C]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< E96 H@CDE E9:?8 😀 =:<6 J@FC =:AD 766= G6CJ ?F>3 27E6CH2C5 2?5 E96J =:<6 DE:4< @FE 2 =@E[” 96 D2:5[ =2F89:?8] “*@F <:?5 @7 86E q@E@I =:AD 2 =:EE=6 3:E]”k^Am
k9C ^m
kAm$E672?:6 s2K:@ C6A@CE65 7C@> q6C=:?]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAm%96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD’ 4=:>2E6 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 4@G6C286 C646:G6D 7:?2?4:2= DFAA@CE 7C@> >F=E:A=6 AC:G2E6 7@F?52E:@?D] %96 p! 😀 D@=6=J C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 2== 4@?E6?E] u:?5 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A]@C8^23@FE^DE2?52C5D\7@C\H@C<:?8\H:E9\@FED:56\8C@FAD^Qmp!VD DE2?52C5Dk^2m 7@C H@C<:?8 H:E9 A9:=2?E9C@A:6D[ 2 =:DE @7 DFAA@CE6CD 2?5 7F?565 4@G6C286 2C62D 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2A]@C8^5:D4@G6C^$FAA@CE:?8\p!Qmp!]@C8k^2m]k^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.