Canadian team surveys Ernest Shackleton’s wrecked ship Quest in Labrador Sea

A small expedition led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society became the first to view the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s final vessel, Quest, which lies about 80 km off southern Labrador at a depth of 390 m. The dive was conducted in the DSV Alvin, the submersible that previously visited the Titanic, with pilot Bruce Strickrott of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Expedition leader John Geiger and private astronaut Mark Pathy reported seeing the ship’s deck, bow and portholes, noting that large fishing nets had become tangled around the wreck. The team aims to create a three‑dimensional digital model of Quest and will later survey the Terra Nova wreck off Greenland. Geiger said the project links Canada to two historic polar explorers and hopes it will inspire young people to explore the planet, adding, “We have to look after our oceans.” The effort also highlights concerns about marine pollution and the need for better ocean protection.