An expedition is setting sail to find the ship of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton that sank in Antarctica more than a century ago and gave rise to one of the world’s most epic survival stories.

An ice-breaking research vessel leaves Cape Town on Saturday to head for the Weddell Sea, where a team of marine archaeologists, technicians, and scientists hope to locate the wreck of Endurance and capture footage of it using state-of-the-art underwater drones.

The 35-day mission, known as Endurance22, faces heavy sea ice, freezing temperatures and extreme weather in its hunt for the hip, which after being trapped and crushed by ice in 1915, slid into the depths and now lies in around 10,000ft (3km) of water.

Shackleton himself, whose plans to be the first to cross Antarctica were thwarted by the loss of his vessel, described the site of the sinking as “the worst portion of the worst sea in the world”.

Who’s behind the expedition – and how do they hope to find Endurance?

Expedition members will be helped in their search by navigational coordinates recorded at the time by Endurance’s captain Frank Worsley in his diary.

If the 144ft ship is located, a detailed survey will be carried out of the wreck, but it will not be disturbed as it is a designated historic monument by international treaty.

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The expedition, organised and funded by The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT), will also study the surrounding sea ice and the impact of climate change on the fragile Antarctic environment.

Polar geographer and expedition leader, Dr John Shears, said: “We are very pleased to be heading for the Antarctic; a landmark moment for what we hope will be a truly historic expedition.”

Director of exploration Mensun Bound said: “We very much hope we can do justice to this magnificent chapter in polar exploration, by capturing images of Shackleton’s iconic Endurance to share with the world.”

The story of Shackleton

Although Shackleton’s attempt to make the first overland crossing of the Antarctic continent failed, it is remembered as one of the most extraordinary feats of human endurance.

Setting out from the UK in August 1914, Endurance became trapped in pack ice at the start of 1915, and eventually broke up and sank in the Weddell Sea in November that year.

It left the 28 men of the expedition isolated on the drifting pack ice hundreds of miles from land, with no ship, no means of communication and limited supplies

Using three lifeboats, the men travelled first across the sea ice and then open water to reach Elephant Island.

From there, Shackleton and five others used one of the lifeboats to sail 800 miles across treacherous seas to South Georgia, where there was a whaling station, to raise the alarm and get help.

The remaining expedition members were rescued from Elephant Island in August 1916.

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