Turkish team begins drilling at Durupinar formation, claimed as Noah's Ark site

An international research team has begun core drilling at the Durupinar formation, a 157-meter boat-shaped mound located 29 kilometers south of Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, with the stated aim of investigating whether it is the remains of Noah's Ark. The project, led by Noah's Ark Scans in collaboration with Sivas Cumhuriyet University and researchers from multiple countries, started on September 21, 2026, with official permits from Turkish authorities.

The team employs ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, LiDAR, and core drilling to study the formation's interior. Previous scans have detected what researchers describe as linear structures, chambers, and corridors beneath the surface, including one hallway mapped at over 250 feet long. Andrew Jones, founder of Noah's Ark Scans, stated on September 25 that the team has "100 percent confirmed" the structure is man-made rather than a natural geological formation. A drill bit shattered when it struck an unexpectedly hard subsurface layer, which researchers are testing for petrified or mineralized wood and organic material.

Biblical tradition places Noah's Ark near Mount Ararat based on the Book of Genesis account. The Durupinar formation was discovered by a shepherd in 1948 and named after Turkish Army Captain Ilhan Durupinar, who photographed it in 1959. The formation's dimensions—approximately 515 to 538 feet long—are cited by proponents as consistent with biblical descriptions of the Ark (450–510 feet long depending on cubit definition). Soil samples have reportedly shown elevated potassium levels, which some researchers suggest could indicate decomposing lumber.

The investigation has generated public claims that findings could reshape scientific understanding. Lauren Witzke, director of marketing and fundraising for Noah's Ark Scans, posted on social media that the discovery would require rewriting university curricula. However, the mainstream geological and archaeological community remains skeptical. Most geologists and archaeologists interpret the formation as a natural structure created by erosion, glaciation, and mass movement processes. The Durupinar site has been excavated previously with mechanical equipment and explosives, yielding only rock and soil. Critics also note that boat-shaped formations appear elsewhere in the region's geography and that ground-penetrating radar can produce ambiguous signals from common geological materials.

Drilling is scheduled to continue until ground freezes, with resumption planned for 2027. Soil and material samples collected from the site are undergoing laboratory analysis. The investigation remains subject to ongoing interpretation; the researchers acknowledge that data collected are indicative rather than conclusive about the formation's origins.