What is the process where oceanic crust sinking under continents at deep ocean trenches?

The process where oceanic crust sinking under continents at deep ocean trenches is called subduction. It occurs at convergent plate boundaries, where two tectonic plates collide and one plate is forced to move beneath the other. The denser plate, usually the oceanic plate, sinks into the mantle, the layer of Earth beneath the crust. Subduction drives many important geological processes, including the formation of mountain belts, volcanic activity, and earthquakes.