Exploration of Ernest Shackleton’s Quest wreck yields high‑definition images and 3D model

An international expedition led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in partnership with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution used the crewed submersible Alvin and a remote‑operated vehicle to capture the first high‑definition visual survey of the wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s ship Quest. The wreck lies at about 390 m depth off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador in the Labrador Sea, where the vessel sank in 1962 after being crushed by ice. Images show the bow, deck, mast, and surrounding coral and fish, while large fishing nets obscure parts of the hull. Researchers plan to employ underwater photogrammetry to create a permanent 3D digital replica for scientific study and public exhibition. After completing the Quest survey, the team will travel to Greenland to document the historic Terra Nova wreck, another ship linked to the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration.