22.08.2025 20:13
The remains of British explorer Dennis "Tink" Bell, who went missing after falling into a glacier crevasse in Antarctica 65 years ago, have been found in the melting ice. His brother, David Bell, stated, "I had long since lost hope of finding him. This is incredible, astonishing. I still can't wrap my head around it."
In a 1959 accident in Antarctica, the bones of an Englishman who lost his life were found in a melting glacier 65 years later.
The remains were discovered by the Polish Antarctic team. Alongside them, a wristwatch, a radio, and a pipe were also found. After examinations, it was confirmed that the body belonged to Dennis "Tink" Bell, who fell into a crevasse at the age of 25.
"I HAD LONG GIVEN UP HOPE OF FINDING HIM"
Dennis Bell was working for what is now known as the "British Antarctic Survey" (BAS) at that time. His 86-year-old brother, David Bell, told the BBC, "I had long given up hope of finding him. This is incredible, astonishing. I still can't believe it."
BAS Director Prof. Dame Jane Francis describes Dennis as "one of the brave individuals who contributed to the exploration of Antarctica and the first scientific studies under extremely challenging conditions," and continues, "Although he went missing in 1959, his memory continues to live on among his colleagues and in the legacy of polar research."
WHAT HAPPENED?
In July 1959, a telegram arrived at David Bell's family home in London. David recalls that moment: "The telegraph operator said, 'I'm sorry, but the news is not good.'
He then went upstairs to inform his parents: "It was a terrible moment."
Today, living in Australia with his wife Yvonne, David smiles as he recounts childhood memories. He remembers his brother Dennis as "charming, fun, and full of life."
Dennis Bell, nicknamed "Tink," was born in 1934. He worked in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and received meteorology training. Later, he joined the Falkland Islands Dependency Research Organization and served in Antarctica. His brother David says he has been interested in Captain Robert Scott's polar diaries since childhood.
In 1958, Dennis went to Antarctica for a two-year mission, working with a team of 12 at a small British base on King George Island. His job was to launch weather balloons and report weather conditions to England every three hours. He was also responsible for organizing food supplies during the cold winter months. He was also known for his love of dogs; he took care of sled dogs and raised puppies.
BAS archives describe him as cheerful, hardworking, and playful. He was also known for his cooking skills.
FELL INTO A CREVASSE WHEN THE SNOWPACK COLLAPSED
On July 26, 1959, just a few weeks after his 25th birthday, Dennis and his friend Jeff Stokes went out to take measurements on a glacier. The snow was deep, and the dogs were tired. Dennis stepped forward to encourage them. He wasn't wearing his skis. Suddenly, the snowpack collapsed, and he fell into a crevasse.
Jeff called out to him, and Dennis responded. A rope was lowered, the dogs pulled the rope, and Dennis was pulled up. However, he had tied the rope around his waist. Just as he was being pulled up, the belt broke, and he fell again. His friend called out to Dennis again, but this time he received no response.
David Bell says, "I will never be able to escape the impact of this story."
FOUND FAR FROM THE POINT HE WENT MISSING
But this year, Polish researchers working near the station stumbled upon "something." Dennis had been found. This was at the foot of the Ecology Glacier on King George Island. The location where he was found was quite far from the point where he had gone missing due to the movement of the glaciers.
Scientists managed to recover the remains after four trips to this glacier. Along with the bones, they found pieces of rope, bamboo ski poles, a gas lamp, and fragments of a military tent. The Polish team placed a GPS marker to ensure he wouldn't go missing again.
David Bell says he is still astonished by the news. Adding that he is grateful to the Polish scientists, David says, "I wish my mother and father could have seen this day."
He will soon travel to England to bid farewell to Dennis with his sister Valerie: "It's a wonderful feeling. I will finally be reunited with my brother. It may sound strange, but we are happy. He has been found, he has come home."