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

The crew of engineers, industrial divers, and automotive fanatics final week drove the basic 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 way 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 had been additionally full of 330 kilos of water. The crew reportedly solely had time for one saltwater check 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 best way throughout the harbor, hitting a rock ledge 1.8 miles into the journey, however they did set information for underwater distance and depth. The try has develop into an “city legend” in Darwin that served as inspiration, Matty Mitchell, head diver for the Mudcrab crew, mentioned in an interview with ABC Information Australia. 

For this try, 30 industrial divers took turns behind the wheel. Whereas the harbor is dwelling to sharks and crocodiles, the largest challenges turned out to be mud and silt. The Land Cruiser received slowed down a number of occasions, requiring inflatable buoys to raise 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 brand new era returns for 2024 with a retro design and a cheaper price goal.