| Last Updated: June 24, 2019 by GlitchMindJune 24, 2019

For the first time ever, the rare giant squid was filmed in U.S. waters. The footage was captured approximately 100 miles off the coast of New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico. This is only the second time a giant squid has been caught on video, with the first being in 2012 off the coast of Japan.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is funding an ongoing project called “Journey Into Midnight,” which is where the footage below originates.

Journey Into Midnight Mission Summary From the NOAA’s site:

From June 8 – 22, a team of researchers will explore the water column in some of the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico in order to determine what happens to deep-sea animals when a very important constraint is taken away from them – that of light. They will make observations and collect samples for further study on the characterization of visual systems, bioluminescence, and fluorescence of organisms living below 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), in the bathypelagic (midnight) zone.

The camera that the crew used to capture the giant squid footage is known as MEDUSA. This system uses red light that is nearly undetectable to the deep-sea life, allowing scientists to have higher success in filming elusive creatures.

Check out the video below for a haunting capture of a real-life sea monster.

Video of Giant Squid in U.S. Waters

Video: OceanExploreGov