A massive iceberg, known as A23a, is on an apparent collision course with South Georgia Island, a British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean.

The giant sheet of ice, which originally broke off from Antarctica in 1986, had been stationary for decades before it began moving again in 2020.

NOAA’s GOES East satellite recently captured imagery of the iceberg, slowly drifting northeastward away from Antarctica and toward South Georgia Island.

According to the U.S. National Ice Center, the iceberg was estimated to cover an area of 1,062 nautical miles, roughly the size of Rhode Island.

As of last report, the iceberg was located approximately 200 miles off the island's coast and at the mercy of ocean currents.

The British territory is not thought to have any year-round residents but is frequented by tourists and biologists interested in the remote island’s pristine environment.

According to NOAA, the island has an extensive population of penguins, seals, and birds in what is considered to be a more mild climate when compared to the extremes faced at the South Pole.

The U.S. National Ice Center constantly tracks dozens of icebergs that pose a threat to shipping routes around the waters of Antarctica.

Original article source: World’s largest iceberg on possible collision course with island in South Atlantic Ocean