Search for Shackleton’s ship called off

THE ‘evil’ weather that thwarted Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctica expedition more than a century ago has now foiled scientists searching for his famous ship.

The search for HMS Endurance was abandoned last night because of deteriorating weather conditions. The vessel has sat at the bottom of the ocean since it was crushed by ice and sank in 1915.

Scientists set out on a New Year expedition to find the ship using robot submarines, but the extreme weather led to the loss of one submarine.

With the expedition vessel at risk of becoming trapped in the ice, the scientists decided to abandon the search.

Mensun Bound, director of exploration on the expedition, said: ‘As a team we are clearly disappointed not to have been successful in our mission to find Endurance.

‘Like Shackleton before us ... our welllaid plans were overcome by the rapidly moving ice, and what Shackleton called “the evil conditions of the Weddell Sea”.’

The Norwegian-built Endurance was said to be the strongest vessel afloat, but in October 1915, Shackleton was forced to give the order to abandon ship. Its 28 crew were marooned for six months, camping on floes and eating penguins and seals.