An Australian staff has set world data for the longest and deepest underwater drive with a modified 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser nicknamed “Mudcrab.”

The staff of engineers, industrial divers, and automobile fans final week drove the traditional Land Cruiser 4.3 miles below the harbor of the Australian metropolis of Darwin, reaching a most depth of 98 toes, ABC Information Australia reported. To try this, the Land Cruiser wanted rather more than a snorkel.

The Land Cruiser, which began out in unroadworthy situation, was transformed to electrical energy so it may function with out oxygen to burn. The tires have been additionally stuffed with 330 kilos of water. The staff reportedly solely had time for one saltwater take a look at drive earlier than the file try.

The route took the Mudcrab and its drivers/divers throughout the harbor from Mandorah to Darwin. This had beforehand been tried in 1983 by one other group from Darwin with one other Land Cruiser. They did not make all of it the way in which throughout the harbor, hitting a rock ledge 1.8 miles into the journey, however they did set data for underwater distance and depth. The try has turn into an “city legend” in Darwin that served as inspiration, Matty Mitchell, head diver for the Mudcrab staff, stated in an interview with ABC Information Australia. 

For this try, 30 industrial divers took turns behind the wheel. Whereas the harbor is residence to sharks and crocodiles, the most important challenges turned out to be mud and silt. The Land Cruiser obtained slowed down a number of occasions, requiring inflatable buoys to carry it out of the muck. The SUV additionally needed to be lifted over a fuel pipeline, which took two hours.

The underwater drive finally took 12 hours—about 5 hours longer than initially deliberate—with the Mudcrab rising from pitch black waters at round 9:00 p.m. native time.

The Land Cruiser nameplate has been absent from the U.S. for the previous couple of years however a new era returns for 2024 with a retro design and a lower cost goal.