Find the wreck of explorer Ernest Shackleton’s last boat

In 1962, four decades after leading a failed expedition to discover the secrets of… AntarcticaLed by the famous British explorer Ernest Shackletonthe ship research Sunk off the coast of Canada. Now, 62 years after she was reported missing, she has finally been found.

It was the last ship belonging to Shackleton, and its location was determined with the help of sonar devices last Sunday, the ninth of this month, at a depth of 390 meters. “We did it the right way,” he said in an interview. John GeigerHead of the expedition and CEO of the Canadian Geographical Society, after mocking private American companies that were searching for the wreck. “It’s not about anyone’s ego, it’s about telling great stories and celebrating some of the best human qualities.”

Despite this famous find and the excellent condition of the ship, the wreck should not be recovered, due to the high cost of such excavations. A remotely operated vehicle is expected to soon head towards the Labrador coast, where the remains of the boat are located, for detailed recording and documentation.

What is Story Quest?

The mission was originally designed for an expedition towards North PoleBut after the Canadian government backed out of the exploration, the voyage was rethought as Shackleton’s fourth exploration of Antarctica. Funded by the businessman John Cuyler RoytThe mission faced several challenges, but it witnessed a decline after the explorer died on board the ship, when the crew was heading south.

But the boat was not retired. After returning to England, it began to be used, first for Arctic research, and later as a local navigation boat. In 1962, when it sank after colliding with a piece of ice, it was being used on a whaling expedition.

Has other wreckage been found?

Before the mission, the remains of another Shakiton ship were found, namely to bear, Found. The discovery was made in 2022 and was in the Antarctic region at a depth of 3,000 metres.

At this time, there is another boat that is also generating controversy. After 300 years of sinking, in 2015, Colombia found the wreck of the galleon San José, considered the holy grail of shipwrecks. It carried a fortune estimated at $20 billion, and now, amid disputes with the indigenous population and the Spanish crown, it began searching for… Shipwreck. They will be saved by the Colombians.