China's satellite data shows iceberg A23a in final stage of disintegration

A23a, once the world's largest iceberg, had entered the final stage of its life, having shrunk to less than one-eighth of its original size, according to the China Meteorological Administration. FY-3D satellite revealed that the main body of A23a now covers an area of only 503 square kilometers. 

Since breaking off from the Antarctic ice shelf in 1986 with an area of 4,170 square kilometers, A23a has spent nearly four decades journeying from its birth to its impending demise. Currently, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. The relatively clear weather and rising air and water temperatures in the iceberg’s vicinity are further accelerating its breakup.