AKIPRESS.COM - The Seychelles president has gone below the surface of the Indian Ocean to call for better protection for the world's seas, BBC reported.

Danny Faure said that a healthy ocean was "crucial for the survival of humanity" in a broadcast made 124m (406ft) below sea level.

He had joined a British-led expedition exploring the ocean's depths.

Last year, the Seychelles created protected areas of the ocean that were "the size of Great Britain".

During the live broadcast Mr Faure could be seen in the submersible wearing a Seychelles T-shirt.

He told viewers that the ocean was "the beating blue heart of our planet" and said that it was "under threat like never before."

"We have managed to seriously impact this environment through climate change. I can see the incredible wildlife that needs protection. Over the years we have created these problems, we must solve them and we must solve them together."