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A man has been left “shocked and amazed” after his brother’s remains were recovered from Antarctica, nearly seven decades after he was lost. Dennis “Tink” Bell—a British meteorologist—died at the age of 25 when a crevasse bridge collapsed under him in July 1959 on King George Island, part of the South Shetland Islands off the Antarctic Peninsula.
At the time, Tink was working for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), which later became the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). He had been conducting a scientific survey when he fell into a crevasse during a rescue attempt. Initially, it wasn’t possible to recover his body.
Recently, Polish researchers found Bell’s remains among rocks newly exposed by the retreat of Ecology Glacier. The team also discovered over 200 personal items with him, including radio equipment, a flashlight, ski poles, a Swedish Mora knife, an inscribed Erguel wristwatch, and an ebonite pipe stem.
Dennis “Tink” Bell in 1958; and glaciers in the Antarctic.
British Antarctic Survey / Getty Images
Bell’s brother David stated, “When my sister Valerie and I were notified that our brother Dennis had been found after 66 years, we were shocked and amazed.” He added, “The British Antarctic Survey and British Antarctic Monument Trust have been a tremendous support. Together with the sensitivity of the Polish team in bringing him home, they’ve helped us come to terms with the tragic loss of our brilliant brother.”
Bell’s remains were transported to the Falkland Islands by a BAS Royal Research Ship. His body was placed in the care of His Majesty’s Coroner for the British Antarctic Territory, Malcolm Simmons, who accompanied them from Stanley to London supported by the Royal Air Force.
DNA testing conducted by Professor Denise Syndercombe Court at King’s College London confirmed that Bell’s remains were those of David and Valerie’s brother. The results showed they were “more than one billion times” more likely to be related than not.
Dame Jane Francis, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, stated, “The confirmation of the remains found on Ecology Glacier as those of Dennis ‘Tink’ Bell is both a poignant and profound moment for all of us at BAS. Dennis was one of many brave FIDS personnel who contributed to early science and exploration under extraordinary 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.”
Dennis Bell grew up in London, England. He excelled at mechanics, photography, and radio building and preferred socializing over organized sports. After a brief period in insurance, he joined the Royal Air Force for National Service, training as a radio operator before signing on with FIDS in 1958 for a two-year assignment.
On July 26, 1959, Bell and surveyor Jeff Stokes set out ahead of colleagues Ken Gibson and Colin Barton to climb the glacier. After negotiating a crevassed area, Bell fell through an icy bridge across one crevasse. Stokes managed to lower down a rope but tragically tied it through Tink’s belt rather than around his body. As he was hauled up, the belt broke, and Tink fell again—after which, he no longer responded.
Sir Vivian Fuchs described the accident in his book “Of Ice and Men” as “a particularly tragic fatality which one really felt should never have happened, and thus doubly grievous.”
A rescue team was dispatched to save the researcher but could not locate Tink due to worsening weather. Bell’s return to his family ends a 66-year search for answers.
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