Giant Iceberg Drifting Towards Australia

A Tasmanian scientist who has discovered a giant iceberg drifting north towards Western Australia expects it will break up long before reaching Australia.

Photo: Giant Iceberg Drifting Towards Australia

Glaciologist Neal Young first spotted the 140 square kilometre iceberg a few weeks ago. He has been tracking the iceberg's journey by satellite.

Ten years ago the iceberg, known as B-17-B, broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf and has spent the past decade drifting slowly around Antarctica, ABC News informs.

According AFP, Australian authorities Friday issued a shipping alert over a gigantic iceberg that is gradually approaching the country's southwest coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the once-in-a-century cliff of ice, which dislodged from Antarctica about a decade ago before drifting north, was being monitored using satellites.

"Mariners are advised that at 1200 GMT on December 9, an iceberg approximately 1,700 kilometres (1,054 miles) south-southwest of the West Australian coast was observed," it said, giving the iceberg's coordinates.

"The iceberg is 140 square kilometres in area -- 19 kilometres long by eight kilometres wide."

"It's still 1,700 kilometres away, so it's quite a long way away, it's not really on our doorstep yet but it's been heading steadily towards us," glaciologist Neal Young said Thursday.

Glaciologist Neal Young of the Australian Antarctic Division said he was not aware of such a large iceberg being found in the area since the days when 19th century clipper ships plied the trade route between Britain and Australia.

Dr Young said: "It's still 1,700 kilometres away, so it's quite a long way away, it's not really on our doorstep yet but it's been heading steadily towards us," Sky News informs.