Before the Quest sank off the coast of Canada in 1962, it belonged to famed explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, who died on board during his final voyage to the Antarctic.
Wikimedia CommonsThe Quest in 1921.
Researchers from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) just announced the discovery of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s final ship, the Quest.
Shackleton headed the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition aboard the Quest from 1921 until his untimely death in 1922. The vessel remained in service until 1962, when it sank off the coast of Canada during a seal-hunting voyage.
Now, researchers have identified the ship’s location and captured sonar images of the wreckage on the seafloor.
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society Discovers The ‘Quest’
On June 9, 2024, researchers from the RCGS located the wreckage of Ernest Shackleton’s ship around 17 miles off the coast of Labrador using sonar technology. The discovery came just five days after they began their hunt.
Canadian Geographic/RCGSA sonar image of Quest on the seafloor.
The project was led by John Geiger, the head of the RCGS, and included experts from four different countries and various areas of expertise, such as shipwreck hunters, oceanographers, and divers.
Using ship logs, historical maps, and current-tracking technology, the researchers painstakingly charted the probable whereabouts of the ship — and their hard work quickly paid off.
“I can definitively confirm that we have found the wreck of the Quest,” search director David Mearns stated in RCGS’s press release. “She is intact. Data from high resolution side scan sonar imagery corresponds exactly with the known dimensions and structural features of this special ship. It is also consistent with events at the time of the sinking.”
“Finding Quest is one of the final chapters in the extraordinary story of Sir Ernest Shackleton,” Geiger said. “Shackleton was known for his courage and brilliance as a leader in crisis. The tragic irony is that his was the only death to take place on any of the ships under his direct command.”
What Happened To Ernest Shackleton And The ‘Quest’?
Ernest Shackleton was a renowned Anglo-Irish explorer involved in several daring Antarctic expeditions, including that of the Discovery and the Endurance, which sank after becoming trapped in sea ice in 1915.
Shackleton’s relationship with the Quest began in 1920 when he purchased the Norwegian sealer in the hopes of leading a Canadian expedition.
Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock PhotoErnest Shackleton aboard the Quest in September 1921.
However, plans soon changed, and he instead led the Quest on an expedition back to the Antarctic. Shackleton suffered a suspected heart attack while the ship was docked in Rio de Janeiro, and the crew grew worried for his health.
Despite this, the expedition continued, and the Quest arrived at the island of South Georgia on Jan. 4, 1922. Hours later, Shackleton suffered a major heart attack and died. The mourning crew buried him in South Georgia and carried on with the journey.
Over the next few decades, the Quest was used for a variety of purposes. In 1928, the vessel joined the search for Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, who vanished during a rescue mission in the Arctic that June. And during World War II, the Quest served as a minesweeper.
In 1962, a crew was seal hunting on the Quest off the eastern coast of Canada when the ship struck ice and sank. Everyone on board survived, but the vessel has been lying on the frigid seafloor ever since.
Martin Brooks, a researcher on the project, stated in the press release: “The finding of Quest is an important new chapter in the story of Ernest Shackleton and polar history; an iconic vessel, she marked the end of the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration. It is an honour to have supported this historic discovery.”
After reading about the discovery of Ernest Shackleton’s ship Quest, look through these vintage photos of Antarctic expeditions. Then, read the stories of the 15 creepiest ghost ships to ever sail the high seas.
