Pozzo del Merro

Flooded sinkhole in the countryside northeast of Rome, Italy

Pozzo del Merro

Location| Sant'Angelo Romano, Lazio, Italy
Coordinates| 42°02′21″N 12°40′50″E﻿ / ﻿42.039298°N 12.680456°E﻿ / 42.039298; 12.680456
Depth| c. 392 m

Pozzo del Merro is a flooded sinkhole in the countryside northeast of Rome, Italy. Situated at the bottom of an 80 m conical pit, at 392 m (1,286 ft) it is the second deepest underwater vertical cave in the world. In 2000 two ROVs were sent to explore its depths; the first, the "Mercurio (Mercury)" reached its maximum operative depth of 210 m (690 ft) without reaching the bottom. The second ROV, "Hyball 300", reached 310 m (1,020 ft) without touching down either.[1] A third dive in 2002 with the more advanced "Prometeo" robot reached the bottom at 392 m (1,286 ft), but discovered a narrow passage continuing horizontally.[1]

The sinkhole, similar to the Zacatón cenote, was formed by volcanic activity eroding the carbonate rock.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Ant, Simon. "MSTD - Caves and Wrecks technically explored !". web.infinito.it. Retrieved 2018-08-24.[permanent dead link]
2. ^ "VOLCANICALLY INFLUENCED SPELEOGENESIS: FORMING EL SISTEMA ZACATÓN, MEXICO AND POZZO MERRO, ITALY, THE DEEPEST PHREATIC SINKHOLES IN THE WORLD". gsa.confex.com. Retrieved 2018-08-24.

42°02′21″N 12°40′50″E﻿ / ﻿42.0393°N 12.6805°E﻿ / 42.0393; 12.6805

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