One of the biggest icebergs on record has broken away from Antarctica, creating an extra hazard for ships around the continent as it breaks up.

The one-trillion-tonne iceberg, measuring 5,800 square kilometers, calved away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica between July 10 and 12, said scientists at the University of Swansea and the British Antarctic Survey.

The iceberg has been close to breaking off for a few months. Throughout the Antarctic winter, scientists monitored the progress of the rift in the ice shelf using European Space Agency satellites.

"The iceberg is one of the largest recorded and its future progress is difficult to predict," said Adrian Luckman, professor at Swansea University and lead investigator of Project MIDAS, which has been monitoring the ice shelf for years.

"It may remain in one piece but is more likely to break into fragments. Some of the ice may remain in the area for decades, while parts of the iceberg may drift north into warmer waters," he said.

REUTERS