Antarctic Research Ship to Search for Wreck of Shackleton’s ’Endurance’ | Smart News | Smithsonian
▻https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/antarctic-research-ship-will-search-wreck-shackletons-endurance-1809
The polar exploration ship Endurance has not been seen since 1915, when it was crushed by sea ice in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea during a failed Trans-Antarctic crossing by Ernest #Shackleton. But in 2019, Jonathan Amos at the BBC reports that a team of scientists will attempt to locate the wreck when they visit the area to study the #Larsen_C Ice Shelf, the mega-iceberg that broke off the continent last July.
The S.A. Agulhas II should reach the area in January or February as part of the Weddell Sea Expedition 2019. But the search for the remains of Endurance will be contingent on if the crew has the time and opportunity to send an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to the right location.
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The final position of the ship when it sunk November 21, 1915 is believed to be about 100 to 150 nautical miles from Larsen C, making the ship an irresistible target. If it is found, it’s likely to be in excellent condition, reports Henry Bodkin at The Telegraph. That’s because the Antarctic Circumpolar Current may have kept wood-boring sea worms from damaging the wreck, which, if discovered, will be declared a protected historic monument.
The South African polar research and supply vessel S.A. Agulhas II will be used for the expedition.AMSOL