Quest shipwreck images reveal historic vessel and marine life off Labrador

Scientists using a remotely operated vehicle have captured the first clear images of the Quest, the ship that carried Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton on his final voyage. The wreck, which sank in 1962 off Labrador and now rests nearly 400 metres beneath the surface, offers a unique opportunity to study how shipwrecks affect marine ecosystems.

The Royal Canadian Geographic Society released the photos in Canadian Geographic, highlighting both the vessel’s historic features—such as its upgraded deckhouse and onboard aircraft—and the colonising marine life observed on the structure.

The Quest’s story traces back to Shackleton’s 1921 Antarctic expedition after the original plan to explore the Beaufort Sea was abandoned. The new visual data adds to recent discoveries of historic polar ships, including the Endurance found in 2022.