Thaindian News

London, Aug 18 (IANS) The SS Terra Nova, the ship that carried Captain Robert Scott in 1910 with the aim of becoming the first expedition to reach the South Pole, has been found off Greenland.

The vessel was discovered by a team from US research company Schmidt Ocean Institute, using a hi-tech underwater vehicle after they spotted an unusual object while testing their sonar equipment, the Daily Mail reported.

One of the scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute noticed an unidentified feature during sonar mapping of the sea bed.

Team members then noted that the 57 metre length of the feature matched the reported length of the Terra Nova.

Researchers then sent a remote camera to film the wreck, and ultimately found the remains of a wooden wreck lying on the seabed.

The features of the wreck closely matched historical photos of the Terra Nova, leading to the identification.

The Terra Nova was built in 1884 for the Dundee whaling and sealing fleet.

In 1910, it came under the command of Scott, who chose the ship for his quest to reach the South Pole.

In November 1911, the explorers disembarked to start the 167-mile trek that claimed the lives of Scott and his four companions.

The Terra Nova returned in 1913 and was bought by Bowring Brothers to resume work as a sealing boat in Newfoundland.

In 1942, the ship was chartered to carry supplies during World War II.

But in September 1943, it was damaged by an iceberg and sank off the coast of Greenland where it remains.

Scott’s expedition became one of the most famous in history, despite failing to become the first to reach the pole.

On arriving at the South Pole in January 1912, Scott discovered they had been beaten to it by a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen.

The team led by Scott died on their return journey from the pole, and their bodies were found by a search party eight months later.