Antarctic Surveys Locate Sunken Cruiseship
The British Royal Navy’ s ice patrol ship, HMS Endurance, has successfully located the wreck of the 2,000 gt cruise liner, Explorer, which sank in Antarctic waters last November amidst worldwide publicity after apparently hitting an icecap.
The wreck, which according to Navy officials poses no hazard to shipping, lies at a depth of 1,130m just south of the South Shetland Islands off the Antarctic Peninsula.
HMS Endurance
is currently being deployed by the UK Hydrographic Office as part of an 18 month project in the Antarctic acquiring survey data while also supporting scientific research throughout the summer season. Other vessel tasks include assisting five British Antarctic Survey teams by breaking ice with its specially designed bow to take members to remote areas that can only otherwise be reached by ship or helicopter.
Hydrographic operations are presently being completed in the South Shetland Islands and at the top of the Gerlache Strait. They will be followed by similar missions in the James Ross Island area for surveys of main shipping corridors. Surveys around the Falklands and the southern part of the Antarctic are due later in the season.
All survey information acquired, comprising single and multibeam bathymetry, aerial and oblique photography and geodetic data, is being relayed back to UKHO’s Taunton headquarters for processing, assessment and validation.
