Long-lost ship from Franklin expedition found

Long-lost ship from Franklin expedition found

A Canadian search team has unlocked one of the world’s great exploration mysteries with the discovery of one of two lost ships from Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition.

The remarkable find completes one half of a puzzle that long ago captured the Victorian imagination and gave rise to many searches throughout the 19th century for Franklin and his crew.

The search team confirmed the discovery on Sunday using a remotely operated underwater vehicle recently acquired by Parks Canada. They found the wreck 11 metres below the water’s surface.

It is not known yet whether the ship is HMS Erebus or HMS Terror.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who recently came close to the search area on his annual northern trip, could barely contain his delight Tuesday as he delivered news of the “great, historic” breakthrough.

“For more than a century, this has been a great Canadian story and mystery,” Harper said.
“I’d say it’s been the subject of scientists and historians and writers and singers. So I think we have a really important day in mapping together the history of our country.”

The ship appears to be well-preserved. A sonar image projected at a media conference showed the ship five metres off the sea floor in the bow and four metres in the stern.

Ryan Harris, a senior underwater archeologist and one of the people leading the Parks Canada search, said the sonar image showed some of the deck structures are still intact, including the main mast, which was sheared off by the ice when the ship sank.
The contents of the ship are most likely in the same good condition, Harris added.

The discovery came a day after a team of archeologists found a tiny fragment from the expedition in the King William Island search area. Until Tuesday, those artifacts were the first ones found in modern times.

The two ships of the Franklin Expedition and their crews disappeared during an 1845 quest for the Northwest Passage.
They were the subject of many searches throughout the 19th century, but the mystery of exactly what happened to Franklin and his men has never been solved.

pics and video

http://globalnews.ca/news/1552518/lo...edition-found/

http://globalnews.ca/news/1525428/ha...ranklin-ships/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMtuFHOWQKk

thanks nat for the thread, sort of surprised no one seems interested in such a terrific historical world story,,,

in case anyone would like to hear what others thought cross country checkup had a 2 hour phone in show
on sunday, lots of interesting info, comments
http://www.cbc.ca/checkup/episode/20...nadians-today/

just click on the 'listen to the latest episode' thingy.
and in the regular cbc news area, mansbridge has a personal connection to the search.
the names of the ships i thought was odd- terror and erebus - terror well we all get that one,
but when i mentioned the erebus at the family dinner,,, only comment i got was wasn't it
something in harry potter,,, eeekkkk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erebus
Erebos (Greek: Ἔρεβος, "deep darkness, shadow")
not sure i would ever get on a ship with either name.

^ I listened to most of that, plus there was lots of info on Quirks and Quarks, too.

cannons
http://www.pc.gc.ca/%7E/media/cultur...p01-550px.ashx

The following sequence of photos provides a snapshot of the Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology Team’s work that day on the Parks Canada Diving and Survey Boat R/V Investigator before, during and after the shipwreck discovery:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/culture/fran...14-images.aspx

More info here

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/culture/franklin/index.aspx

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/franklin-expedition/

(Not yet verified by Parks Canada, but... Terror may have been found)

The long-lost ship of British polar explorer Sir John Franklin, HMS Terror, has been found in pristine condition at the bottom of an Arctic bay, researchers have said, in a discovery that challenges the accepted history behind one of polar exploration’s deepest mysteries.
HMS Terror and Franklin’s flagship, HMS Erebus, were abandoned in heavy sea ice far to the north of the eventual wreck site in 1848, during the Royal Navy explorer’s doomed attempt to complete the Northwest Passage.


On Sunday, a team from the charitable Arctic Research Foundation manoeuvred a small, remotely operated vehicle through an open hatch and into the ship to capture stunning images that give insight into life aboard the vessel close to 170 years ago.

The well-preserved wreck matches the Terror in several key aspects, but it lies 60 miles (96km) south of where experts have long believed the ship was crushed by ice, and the discovery may force historians to rewrite a chapter in the history of exploration.

much more here

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...assage-attempt

Inuit argue for say as Canada and Britain decide fate of HMS Terror wreck

Quote:

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Inuit in the northern Canadian territory of Nunavut, where the second ship from Sir John Franklin’s doomed expedition was recently discovered, are pushing for a voice at the table as Canada and Britain decide the fate of the contents and artefacts recovered from the ill-fated expedition.
“We have to be at the table,” said Cathy Towtongie of Nunavut Tunngavik, which represents Inuit in Nunavut. “This violates the Crown’s fiduciary duty to Inuit and its consultation obligation.”
The Inuit’s push for inclusion began two years ago, shortly after the wreck of HMS Erebus was discovered in the Arctic. This week’s revelation that the second British naval vessel had been found in pristine condition in the frigid waters of the Northwest Passage gave renewed impetus to their demand.

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I bought a book about the discovery for my grandad last Christmas!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Nunavut shipwreck confirmed as Sir John Franklin's HMS Terror

Parks Canada confirmed Monday a shipwreck found off the shores of Nunavut's King William Island is indeed HMS Terror, lost in Sir John Franklin's doomed 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage.

Parks Canada said it will work closely in partnership with Inuit organizations, particularly the Nunavut government and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, on joint ownership of artifacts from both the Terror and Erebus.

The Arctic Research Foundation reported that the Terror was discovered with many artifacts on board and that several, such as the ship's wheel and bell, have been well preserved.

"Joint ownership of the artifacts from HMS Erebus with the Inuit Heritage Trust sets the stage for us to tell the stories of Nunavut's history, culture and heritage," Catherine McKenna, minister responsible for Parks Canada, said in the news release.

"I am thrilled about the discovery of HMS Terror, and am just as committed to working with the government of Nunavut and Inuit partners to protect and present all of the Franklin artifacts."

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.i...d79998e4d02b55

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/nunavut-sh...170423864.html