We hope our discovery will engage young people and inspire them with the pioneering spirit, courage and fortitude of those who sailed Endurance to Antarctica. However, it is not all about the past we are bringing the story of Shackleton and Endurance to new audiences, and to the next generation, who will be entrusted with the essential safeguarding of our polar regions and our planet. You can even see “Endurance” arced across the stern, directly below the taffrail. It is upright, well proud of the seabed, intact, and in a brilliant state of preservation. This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen. “We are overwhelmed by our good fortune in having located and captured images of Endurance. Mensun Bound, Director of Exploration on the expedition, said: The Trustees extend to them all our warmest thanks and congratulations on this historic achievement.” Agulhas II with its outstanding Master and crew, a skilled and committed expedition team and many on whose support we have depended in the UK, South Africa, Germany, France, the United States and elsewhere. But this success has been the result of impressive cooperation among many people, both on board the remarkable S.A. Under the outstanding leadership of Dr John Shears, they have found Endurance. “The spotlight falls today on Mensun Bound, the Director of Exploration, and Nico Vincent, Subsea Project Manager. Today’s celebrations are naturally tempered by world events, and everybody involved in Endurance22 keeps those affected by these continuing shocking events in their thoughts and prayers. “Our objectives for Endurance22 were to locate, survey and film the wreck, but also to conduct important scientific research, and to run an exceptional outreach programme. Image © Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust / National Geographicĭonald Lamont, Chairman of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, said:

Taffrail and ship’s wheel, aft well deck. The wreck is protected as a Historic Site and Monument under the Antarctic Treaty, ensuring that whilst the wreck is being surveyed and filmed it will not be touched or disturbed in any way. Knowledge Bengu, using Saab’s Sabertooth hybrid underwater search vehicles. Agulhas II, owned by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment and under Master, Capt. The team worked from the South African polar research and logistics vessel, S.A. One hundred years after Shackleton’s death, Endurance was found at a depth of 3008 metres in the Weddell Sea, within the search area defined by the expedition team before its departure from Cape Town, and approximately four miles south of the position originally recorded by Captain Worsley.

The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust is pleased to confirm that the Endurance22 Expedition has located the wreck of Endurance, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship which has not been seen since it was crushed by the ice and sank in the Weddell Sea in 1915.

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