A deep sea mountain off the coast of the Maldives has become the focus of a study by Maldivian and international scientists aboard the Nekton science mission.

Although the peak was marked on navigational charts in the mid-20th century and some mapping attempted since, speculation has raged over its exact depth and size.

The Nekton team from the UK is on a joint expedition with the Maldives Marine Research Institute to map and sample the waters off the lowest lying nation on earth. Painting a fuller picture of the deep sea mountain is one of their top mission goals.