Diamonds in the deep: How gems are mined from the bottom of the ocean

By Katy Scott, CNN

Updated 0501 GMT (1301 HKT) September 4, 2018

In Namibian waters off the west coast of Southern Africa, enormous mining vessels suck diamonds from the seabed.
Photos: How diamonds are mined from the Atlantic seabed
In Namibian waters off the west coast of Southern Africa, enormous mining vessels suck diamonds from the seabed.
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These ships operated by Debmarine Namibia mine 24 hours a day, 365 days a year within a 2,300 square mile area — just under half the size of Jamaica.
Photos: How diamonds are mined from the Atlantic seabed
These ships operated by Debmarine Namibia mine 24 hours a day, 365 days a year within a 2,300 square mile area — just under half the size of Jamaica.
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Since operations began in 2002, Debmarine Namibia has extracted <a href="http://www.chamberofmines.org.na/files/9015/2458/3445/COM__2017_AR_Web.pdf" target="_blank">nearly 16 million carats</a> of marine diamonds from the ocean.