Most northerly island discovered - 13th September 2021

A group of scientists say they have discovered the world's most northerly island off Greenland's coast.

Greenland is a massive Arctic territory belonging to Denmark.

In July, scientists from a Danish-Swiss research expedition flew to collect samples at what they thought was Oodaaq Island, discovered by a Danish survey team in 1978. However, when they checked their position with the authorities responsible, they were actually 800m or 2,625ft further north.

The unnamed 60 X 30m island is the closest point of land to the North Pole.

Morten Rasch, scientific leader of the Arctic Station in Greenland, University of Copenhagen said his team were hoping to examine Oodaaq island, previously known as the northernmost island. They were investigating how species adapt to the extreme environment.

The team of six experts travelled in a small helicopter. However, when they reached the location of Oodaaq, they could not track it down. Maps of the Arctic region can be fairly inaccurate. Nevertheless, they eventually landed on a rather unpromising muddy stretch of land, surrounded by ice on all sides. They had assumed it was Oodaaq island, yet on their return they learned that they'd accidentally discovered the world's most northerly island.

Although the team are now hoping the land will be named "Qeqertaq Avannarleq", meaning "the northernmost island" in Greenlandic, its existence may be limited as it’s just three metres in height. “No one knows how long it will remain,” Rasch commented.