Researchers Find Shackleton’s Final Ship’s Resting Place
General News
Thursday 13th, June 2024
A team of researchers in Atlantic Canada has made a remarkable discovery by locating the Quest, the vessel on which renowned polar explorer Ernest Shackleton died in 1922. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society announced the find, releasing video footage of the search operation. The Quest, a schooner-rigged vessel, was discovered intact at a depth of 390 metres (1,280 feet) off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada's easternmost province.
The ship, which suffered damage from ice and sank in 1962 while being used by seal hunters, was found intact on Sunday. Shackleton, who was preparing for his fourth Antarctic expedition, died of a heart attack aboard the Quest on 5 January 1922 near the remote island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. He was 47 years old.
Following Shackleton’s death, the Quest was purchased by a Norwegian company and used for various expeditions. The vessel also served with the Royal Canadian Navy during World War Two.
The discovery of the Quest is a significant historical find and marks the second time in two years that one of Shackleton’s ships has been located. In March 2022, search teams found the remains of the Endurance, Shackleton’s ship that was crushed by Antarctic ice and sank in November 1915. The Endurance was found at a depth of approximately 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), nearly 4,800 kilometres (3,000 miles) from the Quest’s resting place.
The announcement by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society sheds new light on the legacy of Shackleton and the vessels that played critical roles in his explorations. The Quest, much like the Endurance, holds a significant place in the annals of polar exploration history.
The ship, which suffered damage from ice and sank in 1962 while being used by seal hunters, was found intact on Sunday. Shackleton, who was preparing for his fourth Antarctic expedition, died of a heart attack aboard the Quest on 5 January 1922 near the remote island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. He was 47 years old.
Following Shackleton’s death, the Quest was purchased by a Norwegian company and used for various expeditions. The vessel also served with the Royal Canadian Navy during World War Two.
The discovery of the Quest is a significant historical find and marks the second time in two years that one of Shackleton’s ships has been located. In March 2022, search teams found the remains of the Endurance, Shackleton’s ship that was crushed by Antarctic ice and sank in November 1915. The Endurance was found at a depth of approximately 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), nearly 4,800 kilometres (3,000 miles) from the Quest’s resting place.
The announcement by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society sheds new light on the legacy of Shackleton and the vessels that played critical roles in his explorations. The Quest, much like the Endurance, holds a significant place in the annals of polar exploration history.
