The search for Ernest Shackleton’s sunken ship almost avoids the same fate

In 1915, when Ernest Shackleton’s ship, Endurance, became stranded in Antarctic sea ice, the crew had little choice but to drift helplessly for nine months before the ship sunk.

Late Sunday, the search for the wreck of the Endurance came dangerously close to meeting the same destiny. The Agulhas II, on the other hand, has 16,000 horsepower of propulsion, moveable ballast, and a container full of aviation fuel, but Shackleton’s men could only rely on patience.

Endurance22 is a worldwide endeavour aimed at doing scientific research in the Weddell Sea and locating Shackleton’s lost ship’s last resting place.

The team boarded the Agulhas on February 5 and has already arrived at the search box where they hope to find the Endurance.

The Agulhas became trapped in thick pack ice stretching out to the horizon on Sunday, much like its Antarctic ancestor.

The ship’s link to the outside world, which was delivered by satellite internet, was also interrupted for a short time, and additional equipment failures were recorded, including with the ship’s winches.

Dan Snow, a TV historian, describes how the ship’s crew tried to power themselves out at first by placing the four huge diesel-electric engines in full reverse.

When that failed, they used the ship’s moveable ballast system, which poured thousands of gallons of water from side to side to rock the ship.

To add to the spectacle, the ship’s company then used the ship’s crane to raise a massive container filled with helicopter gasoline and swing it from side to side over the bow.

Mr Snow explained, “They were attempting anything to rock us out, to shatter this seal that’s holding us fast to the ice.”

Fortunately, the Aghulas’ cunning paid off, and Mr Snow was able to announce their escape on Tuesday.

“Captain Knowledge Bengu and his wonderful crew ensured that we didn’t spend too much time there in the end.” We’ve successfully blasted our way out. “We’ve repositioned ourselves in the search box, and we’re now examining the seabed for Shackleton’s Endurance,” Mr Snow said on social media.

“Don’t worry, this is the dream team!” he added.