Incredible new details of Shackleton’s sunken Endurance ship revealed in 3D scan
A recent 3D scan has unveiled previously hidden aspects of the wreckage of HMS Endurance, the ship of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, which was discovered in 2022—over a century after it sank. The scan, which was shared with CNN on Thursday, gives the impression that the vessel, which succumbed to the crushing force of sea ice in 1915, has been astonishingly lifted from the depths of the Weddell Sea and placed on solid ground intact.
The scan reveals crew items dispersed throughout the ship, alongside other discernible relics such as dinner plates and a flare gun, which remain on the deck even though the ship lies at a depth of 3,008 meters (approximately 9,900 feet).
These 3D visuals have been released in conjunction with the new documentary titled ‘Endurance,’ set to premiere at the London Film Festival on Saturday, followed by its release in UK theaters on Monday and later on Disney+.
The digital scans have been created by images captured when the ship was rediscovered on an expedition in 2022 and released in celebration of a new documentary from National Geographic and the Falklands Heritage Maritime Trust. The images show the ship’s rigging, helm, and woodwork in a remarkable state of preservation, alongside crew items like dining plates and a single knee-length boot speculated to have belonged to Frank Wild, Shackleton’s second-in-command.
The expedition was led by Dr. John Shears with Nico Vincent as subsea manager. The expedition was joined by historian and broadcaster Dan Snow, who brought the story to a global audience through his podcasts and social media.
The recent expedition was sponsored by the Falk Maritime Heritage (FM), which expressed its enthusiasm for the documentary’s release in a statement last month. “Our goal was not only to locate, survey, and document the wreck but also to share the stories of Shackleton and his ship with new audiences,” remarked FMHT chairman Donald Lamont in the statement.
The documentary, directed by Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, and Natalie Hewit, narrates the tale of Shackleton’s ill-fated journey and the expedition that located the Endurance wreck in 2022. It highlights the tales of resilience and determination that Shackleton and his crew demonstrated during their survival quest in Antarctica.
