The remains of Dennis "Tink" Bell, a 25-year-old Antarctic researcher, have been discovered 66 years after he vanished in a crevasse during a survey mission in 1959. His remains were located among rocks exposed by a receding glacier at Admiralty Bay on King George Island, part of the Antarctic Peninsula. Bell fell into a crevasse on July 26, 1959, and his team was unable to recover his body at the time.

In addition to Bell's remains, over 200 personal items were found, including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, an inscribed Erguel wristwatch, a Swedish Mora knife, and an ebonite pipe stem. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) confirmed the findings.

The remains were transported to the Falkland Islands aboard the BAS Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough. They were then handed over to His Majesty’s Coroner for the British Antarctic Territory, Malcolm Simmons, who accompanied the remains from Stanley to London, with support from the Royal Air Force.

DNA samples from the remains were tested and compared to those of Bell's brother, David Bell, and sister, Valerie Kelly. Denise Syndercombe Court, a forensic geneticist at King’s College London, confirmed that the remains belonged to Dennis Bell.

David Bell, who now resides in Australia, expressed his shock and amazement upon learning of his brother's discovery. "The British Antarctic Survey and British Antarctic Monument Trust have been a tremendous support, and together with the sensitivity of the Polish team in bringing him home, have helped us come to terms with the tragic loss of our brilliant brother," he said.

On the day of the accident, Dennis Bell and three other men, along with two dogs, set out from their Antarctic base to climb a glacier leading to an ice plateau for survey and geological work. As they ascended, Bell and surveyor Ben Stokes navigated a crevassed area, believing they were safe. However, Bell went ahead to encourage the tired dogs, tragically without his skis, and suddenly fell into a crevasse.

Despite the harsh conditions and the risk of further accidents, his team searched for him for about twelve hours. Witness Ken Gibson recalled, "It was probably twelve hours before we found the site and there was no way he could have survived."

The remains were found in January by personnel from the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station, but the announcement was made public only recently. The family is now considering how to honor Dennis's memory.

Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of BAS, remarked, "Dennis was one of the many brave FIDS personnel who contributed to the early science and exploration of Antarctica under extraordinarily harsh conditions. Even though he was lost in 1959, his memory lived on among colleagues and in the legacy of polar research. This discovery brings closure to a decades-long mystery and reminds us of the human stories embedded in the history of Antarctic science."