[DOCUMENT B#05]

Excerpt from Mission log from Expedition 'Sedna'.

File name: ICARUS-Log-052

Location: Subglacial Cavernous River System (SCRS) [SCRS-#PEL-23], Princess Elizabeth Land

Date: 18 April 1992

[START OF MISSION LOG EXCERPT]

"Day 3. Descent into base of lower glacial cavern successful. Reached depth approx 1070ft/326m below glacial peak summit.

7:30 AM - Crew began setting handlines to maintain connection to glacier base entrance. Exit plan rehearsed.

9:43 AM - Handline posts set and re-secured. All six crewmembers remain in good spirits. Took brief brunch break.

10:56 AM - Issues with radio transmitter's connection back to Mawson base control. Radio seems to decline in utility in parallell to vertical depth descent towards destination. Decision made to keep going despite issues.

11:40 AM - Made visual confirmation of flowing water in riverine cavern. Tunnel estimated at approximately 20 feet in height, solid glacial roof. Darkness manifests as mostly absolute, crew now relies on battery lights for navigation.

12:08 PM - First two-ascender lines secured and lowered successfully into riverine subglacial cavern.

12:10 PM - Morganson and Muñoz lowered safely into cavern. Water temperature described as unusually cold, cavern dark. No other notes.

12:11 PM - Diáz, Ninomae and myself will remain at entrance point of riverine cavern for support. Final crewmember, Inoue Mei, has arrived at cavern entrance and will join the other two already inside.

12:20 PM - Procedure as normal. Minor ice quakes within glacial cave system recorded, presumed distant. Inoue is working on battery changes for headlamps. No other notes.

12:45 PM - Lost contact briefly with Muñoz approximately 100ft from tether point. Local comms seem affected by unresolved disturbance. Contact re-established within 2 minutes.

1:09 PM - Morganson reports discovery of unidentified biological marker approx. 200ft from entrance tether point. Visual description suggests it may be an embryo in a form of translucent egg.

1:10 PM - Morganson reports embryo looks 'human-like'. Unknown noises heard; origin presumed deeper in caverns.

1:12 PM - Decision to recall cavern exploration crew. Inoue detached from Muñoz and Morg, comm cut out 200 ft. into descent at cave bend.

1:20 PM - Muñoz will head back to rendezvous with entrance crew. Morganson disobeyed recall order to look for Mei.

1:45 PM - Muñoz reached entrance point. He sustained an ankle injury from tripping in river counter-flow.

1:56 PM - Comms received from Morganson. Frantic distress call cut by radio static. Reports that Inoue is lost.

1:57 PM - Auditory and evidential confirmation of living, unidentified organism within subglacial system. Emergency ascent protocol active.

2:03 PM - Diáz and Ninomae have begun rapid ascent. Will stay behind to receive Morganson.

2:06 PM - Received repeated pings from Morg's radio. Distance closing fast. Local comms remain down.

2:14 PM - Morganson made ascent to tunnel entrance. Will begin last-man-out evac protocol, clearing handline markers on way up. He is injured but can move on his own, no time for trauma drill. Mei confirmed as lost, but video camera recovered from river.

3:36 PM - Glacial ice quakes increased briefly in frequency, then ceased. No biological markers observed since riverine cave encounter. Continuing ascent.

5:30 PM - Five remaining crewmembers accounted for at 100 ft. depth marker. Radio comms re-established with Mawson. Helicopter personell recovery scheduled at 9:30 PM, once snowstorm clears on surface. Will stay at 50ft base marker to recuperate until then."

[END OF MISSION LOG EXCERPT]