# China’s Mengxiang drilling vessel retrieves deep-sea basalt samples in South China Sea

https://mins.news/en/item/76707

- China News Service, 2026-09-28 07:33 UTC
- Science
- Original: http://www.ecns.cn/cns-wire/2026-09-28/detail-ihfknxzs2494204.shtml

> China’s ocean drilling vessel Mengxiang has completed a 30-day trial mission in the South China Sea, recovering basalt from a basin at a depth of 4,100 meters. The achievement makes China the world’s third country to retrieve hard-rock samples from deep ocean basins with a drilling vessel and raises its capability to the 5,000-meter level. Mengxiang can drill to 11,000 meters.

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