Expedition to locate Shackleton's lost ship to push explorers to limit amid 'brutal' conditions

A team of explorers are hoping to be the first people to set eyes on one of the most unreachable shipwrecks in the world, more than 100 years after it sank.

An imminent expedition is aiming to find, survey and film the wreck of Endurance, which sank during polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's quest to Antarctica in 1915 and now lies somewhere at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.

TV historian Dan Snow, who is joining the expedition launched by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, said finding the Endurance would be “groundbreaking for maritime archaeology" - but the team have certainly got their work cut out for them.

They are due to set off from Cape Town, South Africa, on Saturday for the Weddle Sea in Antarctica which he described as an icebound "brutal stretch of ocean" which has a "savage churning current that can crush ships in the ice".

Snow told ITV News: "We're going down to one of the coldest and most hostile places on Earth, we're about to go through the so-called Roaring Forties, these gigantic waves - probably the biggest waves on earth - so we're going to experience everything.

"So, I'm a bit nervous about how I'm going to be, whether I'm going to survive in the cold weather. It's certainly a place where you're going to discover you have hidden depths hopefully - your reserves."

Historian Dan Snow sets out the challenges that lay ahead for the team:

Sir Ernest’s trip gained notoriety due to icy conditions which caused the boat and crew to be trapped in sea ice for more than 10 months, before they successfully escaped in lifeboats and on foot.

"It's one of the most important and exciting shipwrecks that's still out there that we haven't been able to identify, so it's something that the whole world is fascinated by. It's one of the greatest stories of heroism, survival in history," Snow said.

"It's something that people are inspired by, obsessed by, they want to learn more about it. So it's a great adventure trying to find it on the seabed 3,000 metres down."

The Endurance22 Expedition marks one month after the 100th anniversary of Sir Ernest’s death.

Operating from the South African-registered research ship, the Agulhas II, the expedition will be at sea for at least 35 days.

Underwater search vehicles will be used to locate, survey and film the wreck, which could be up to 3,000m down, without touching or disturbing it.

The trip has been attempted by explorers in the past but Snow says this time will be different because his team have more advanced equipment, including underwater drones that can travel to the depths needed, along with a 25km long optic fibre cable providing real-time information from the ocean floor.

Snow explains how the team will attempt to locate the Endurance:

"The weather though, is anyone's guess. If we get storms and heavy ice flows, it's going to be very, very difficult to find that ship," he warned.

Mainly, Snow said he's "incredibly excited" about the expedition and the possibility of streaming Shackleton's lost ship for the world to see.

"It's going to be in the spirit of Shackleton, he took a very, very early film camera down with him and he took great movement pictures," he added.

"The last time humans saw that ship was in November 1915 as it was crushed and sank beneath the ice cap," he said.

Dr John Shears, expedition leader, said: “I would like to thank the entire team, both those heading to Antarctica and the many in important support functions, for their outstanding work across the past month during the final preparations, which have been suitably thorough, and we leave Cape Town on the SA Agulhas II knowing that we have the very best people and technology available to us.

“We are excited to keep the world up to date with progress on this remarkable Antarctic mission.”

Mensun Bound, director of exploration, said: “Embarking on this expedition to locate the wreck of Endurance is incredibly exciting for all who are involved.

“We are very grateful to everyone who has made this possible, and we will do everything in our power to shine further light on this inspiring story.

“We very much hope we can do justice to this magnificent chapter in polar exploration, by capturing images of Shackleton’s iconic Endurance to share with the world.”