This is the his­to­ri­cal dis­co­very of the year in the Arc­tic – at least: The Cana­di­an govern­ment has announ­ced to have found the wreck of one of the two ships of John Franklin’s expe­di­ti­on.

John Frank­lin was out to find the Nor­thwest Pas­sa­ge with 2 ships, HMS Ere­bus and HMS Ter­ror, and 129 men, sai­ling into the pas­sa­ge in 1845. Both ships and all men dis­ap­peared. Many expe­di­ti­ons were sent out to res­cue Frank­lin and his men or to find out what had hap­pen­ed. This was a boost for geo­gra­phi­cal explo­ra­ti­on in the Cana­di­an arc­tic, but the fate of Franklin’s expe­di­ti­on was never ful­ly resol­ved. After years, the first traces were found; it beca­me clear that the men had left the ships, try­ing to reach safe­ty, a hope­l­ess effort con­side­ring the vast distances and the harsh cli­ma­te. The­re were signs of can­ni­ba­lism, but most must have died of star­va­ti­on, cold and scur­vy. Lead poi­so­ning may have added to an over­all health decli­ne. Frank­lin had alre­a­dy died befo­re the ships were deser­ted.

The 2 ships had been equip­ped with ever­y­thing one could think of at that time, it was one of the lar­gest arc­tic expe­di­ti­ons ever and its loss was a trau­ma for the Bri­tish Roy­al Navy. The dis­co­very of one of the 2 ships 169 years later is a sen­sa­ti­on. It is so far unknown if it is the wreck of the HMS Ere­bus or the HMS Ter­ror.

The Cana­di­an govern­ment has put the search for Franklin’s ships on the agen­da some years ago.

Source: Spie­gel Online