Two miles down, in the depths of the Weddell Sea, the ‘Endurance’ Shipwreck lies almost perfectly preserved after over one hundred and six years. According to the Smithsonian, a team of researchers have found the vessel nearly ten thousand feet below surface, laying on the Antarctic floor. The ship set out to explore the Arctic, but found itself stuck in the Arctic ice instead.

The Endurance22 expedition came back with the exciting discovery which was announced by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust. The discovery brings an end to the century-old mystery. According to the New York Times, the team had gained a ten million dollar anonymous donation towards the expedition and has been using extremely advanced technology,  “Technicians had been running an undersea drone day and night for two weeks, scanning the seafloor with sonar looking for the 144-foot wooden ship…”. Before Endurance22, an expedition to find the shipwreck three years prior had failed citing technical difficulties after the drone was lost.

Ever since the ship sunk in 1915, the quest to find the remains and wreck was always thought to be impossible due to the frigid temperatures of the area and the thick ice covering the surface. The ice itself is the reason ‘Endurance’ wrecked, after all. According to the Smithsonian, Ernest Shackleton, an Irish-British explorer, and his crew of 27 men were on an ambitious mission to reach the South Pole in completely uncharted territory to map the region. After getting stuck in an ice pack, the entire crew of the ship waited ten months for the area to thaw as the boat floated, stuck in the ice. As the ice shifted and thawed, the ship was crushed and mangled, leaving the crew to find a way home. Miraculously, Shackleton managed to guide his crew to rescue after months in the Arctic, all 28 survived. 

According to CNN, Dr. John Shears, the expedition leader, hopes to be able to inspire and educate future generations with the miraculous find, “We have also conducted an unprecedented educational outreach program, with live broadcasting from on board, allowing new generations from around the world to engage with Endurance22 and become inspired by the amazing stories of polar exploration, and what human beings can achieve and the obstacles they can overcome when they work together.” 

The long-awaited discovery has inspired many, and shows how drive and motivation can bring a massively challenging expedition to fruition. Due to the Antarctic Treaty between the United Nations, the ship will remain on the ocean floor for many explorers to come and admire. As of now, no expeditions have been planned, but are likely in the future. This historic wreck has the potential to teach explorers more about the sea life found on the shipwreck as well as how it was so perfectly preserved.