Nat Geo to air story of sensational find of lost ship Endurance

National Geographic has partnered exclusively with History Hit and impact-driven production company Consequential for an epic documentary detailing the successful search and discovery of one of the great lost shipwrecks of history – Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance.

Set to premiere soon as part of National Geographic’s Explorer series, this documentary event will air globally on National Geographic channels and Disney+.

The documentary – also produced in partnership with ABC News – will be directed by Bafta-nominated Natalie Hewit (Antarctica: Ice Station Rescue, Greta Thunberg: A Year To Change The World).

Exclusive storytelling about the Endurance will also be featured across National Geographic’s unrivalled digital and social platforms, including on TikTok (@natgeo) and Instagram (@natgeo), as well as in a future issue of National Geographic magazine and an episode of the award-winning podcast, “Overheard at National Geographic”.

An in-depth story about the finding of Endurance, including its historical relevance and featuring exclusive interviews, images and video, is available on natgeo. com now.

Courteney Monroe, president National Geographic Content, said: “Through bold exploration and storytelling, National Geographic has taken generations of loyal fans from the deepest depths of the ocean to the peak of Mount Everest, enabling them to see and engage with the world in entirely new ways.

“The search for Sir Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship, Endurance, could not be a more perfect story to continue this proud legacy of reporting on some of the world’s greatest mysteries.

“It is our hope that the blockbuster story behind Shackleton’s Endurance, featuring exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the high-stakes adventure, will inspire the next generation of explorers and adventurers.”

Organised by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, the expedition to locate the shipwreck – which has for over a century remained inaccessible and undiscovered – set off from Cape Town on 5 February on a voyage to the Weddell Sea, off the coast of Antarctica where the Endurance sank in 1915.

The expedition was led by polar geographer Dr John Shears with marine archaeologist Mensun Bound as director of exploration. With them, on board the South African icebreaker Agulhas II, is a crew of scientists and archaeologists alongside a team of highly experienced extreme environment filmmakers, led by Dan Snow for History Hit.

It took 10 days for the crew to reach the search area after navigating tricky terrain and icy waters.

After overcoming technical challenges and conducting multiple survey sweeps, the wreck was found 100 years after Shackleton’s death, at a depth of 3 008m in the Weddell Sea. The wreck was found within the search area defined by the expedition team before its departure from Cape Town and approximately four miles south of the position originally recorded by Captain Worsley, using submersibles called Saab Sabretooths, equipped with 4k cameras and lighting arrays.

The wreck appears to be well preserved due to the lack of wood-eating microbes in the Weddell Sea.

The team is still on location, studying the wreck and documenting their findings. They are set to return to Cape Town this month.

The wreck will remain untouched and without any artifacts removed, where it has lain for more than a century – but the results of the discovery will provide significant insights into Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial trans-Antarctic expedition.

The recording of the sensational find will offer an incredible opportunity to bring the story of Shackleton to new generations.