The mollusc was discovered on the 100-year anniversary of it first being identified and named. Crew onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's Falkor (too) vessel used a remote-controlled vehicle to spot it. Chief scientist Dr Michelle Taylor, from the university, said the team was initially unsure what the squid was but filmed it because it was "beautiful and unusual". The footage was then verified by Dr Kat Bolstad, who said previous squid encounters had mostly been as remains in whale and seabird stomachs.

A colossal squid has been caught on camera for the first time in the deep sea by an international team of researchers steering a remotely operated submersible. The sighting was announced Tuesday by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The squid filmed was a juvenile about 1 foot (30 centimeters) in length at a depth of 1,968 feet (600 meters) in the South Atlantic Ocean. Full-grown adult colossal squids, which scientists have uncovered from the bellies of whales and seabirds, can reach lengths up to 23 feet (7 meters) — almost the size of a small fire truck. The squid was spied last month near the South Sandwich Islands during an expedition to search for new sea life. Researchers waited to verify the species identification with other independent scientists before releasing the footage.

Footage of the squid in its natural environment marks the first time the species has been seen since its discovery 100 years ago. An academic from the University of Essex led the team of scientists on a 35-day mission to discover new marine creatures. The Schmidt Ocean Institute's Falkor vessel used a remote-controlled vehicle to find the marine creature. The juvenile squid, measuring 30cm-long (11.8in), was spotted on camera at a depth of 600m (1,968ft). It was seen close to the South Sandwich Islands in the south Atlantic Ocean. It was seen close to the South Sandwich Islands in the south Atlantic Ocean.