A team of British scientists are preparing to dive into the darkest depths of the Indian Ocean - into a so-called 'Midnight Zone' where life thrives despite scarce light.

Scientists from the Nekton Mission plan to survey wildlife and gauge the effects of climate change in the unexplored area.

A unique submarine called 'Limiting Factor' made with a 3.5-inch (9cm) thick titanium hull will carry two scientists at a time into the unknown marine world to at least 3,280ft (1,000m) below the surface.

The robust machine can withstand immense pressures and also carries up to 96 hours' worth of emergency oxygen in case of disaster.

Limiting Factor has previously descended down as far as 36,000ft (11,000 metres) — deeper than Mount Everest is tall when it reached the bottom of the Mariana trench.

In this photo taken in January 2020 and provided by Nekton, scientists lower the 'Limiting Factor' submarine into the Mediterranean Sea, part of sea trials before the next stage of the mission

Working with the Seychelles and Maldives governments, the five-week expedition is targeting seamounts - underwater mountains that rise miles from the sea floor.

'What we do know is that beneath 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), there's no light down there, but a lot of animals ... are bioluminescent. It's life that glows,' says Nekton mission director Oliver Steeds.

'The area that we're going to be researching, it's one of the most bio-diverse parts of the world's oceans. So what we're going to find there is unknown,' Mr Steeds recently told The Associated Press before sea trials.

Last August, the 'Limiting Factor' completed the Five Deeps Expedition, diving to the deepest point in each of the world's five oceans.

Pictured, a diver helps a crew member on-board 'Limiting Factor' submarine (right). A team of scientists is preparing to dive deep into the depths of the Indian Ocean - into a 'Midnight Zone' where light barely reaches, but life still thrives

Scientists from the British-led Nekton Mission (pictured, conducting tests in the Mediterranean ahead of their trip to the Midnight Zone later this year) plan to survey wildlife and gauge the effects of climate change in the unexplored area 3,000ft below the surface

A submarine called 'Limiting Factor' Pictured in the Mediterranean ahead as part of ongoing tests, is made with a 3.5-inch (9cm) thick titanium hull will carry two scientists at a time into the unknown marine world. It also carries up to 96 hours' worth of emergency oxygen in case of the worst case scenario

'There are only five vehicles in the world that can get below 6,000 meters (19,685 feet), and only one that can get to the bottom half,' said expedition leader Rob McCallum.

'So everything we do is new. Everything we see is virtually a new discovery.'

Using sampling, sensor and mapping technology, scientists expect to identify new species and towering seamounts.

They are also hoping to see evidence of humanity's impact on the undocumented realm, such as from climate change and plastic pollution.

Last May, when 'Limiting Factor' descended to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench, the ocean's deepest point, its pilot spotted a plastic bag.

'When we actually think of the living space on the planet for species, over 90 per cent of that living space is in the ocean and most of that ocean is unexplored,' says Dan Laffoley, a marine expert for the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

'So it's absolutely critical, at this time when we see such large changes occurring, that we get people down there, we get eyes in the ocean and we see what's happening,' he said.

Scientists will combine their observations with those conducted last year during a seven-week Indian Ocean mission. They plan to present their findings in 2022.