10 Mar 2022

Finding Shackleton's lost ship Endurance off Antarctica

From Nine To Noon, 9:30 am on 10 March 2022
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The Endurance's stern still in good condition more than 100 years after the ship sunk. Photo: Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust / National Geographic

Scientists have found and videoed South Pole explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship The Endurance, which was lost in November 1915.

107 years later, the wooden ship has been located three kilometres down in the icy Antarctic Weddell Sea, in remarkable condition.

The ship was crushed by sea-ice and sank, forcing Shackleton and his crew to abandoned ship and escape on foot and in small boats.

The mission's leader veteran polar geographer Dr John Shears had described it as "the world's most difficult shipwreck search".

The crew battled constantly-shifting sea-ice, blizzards, and temperatures dropping down to -18C. 

Kathryn speaks with photographer and drone operator on the expedition James Blake, son of New Zealand sailor and environmentalist Sir Peter Blake and Lady Pippa.