Underwater Drones Find “Dead” Coral Reefs Teeming With Life

Researchers rediscovered a living deep-water coral reef off Benin in the Gulf of Guinea using historic survey data, sonar, and underwater imaging.

The mesophotic reef, once thought to be dead, was found to host multiple coral and fish species.

The study suggests that overlooked deep waters may still shelter intact reef ecosystems, with major implications for marine conservation in West Africa and beyond.