Prime Minister Harper announces the discovery of one of the two lost ships of the famed Franklin Expedition
7th september 2014
RITROVAMENTO DEL RELITTO DI UNA DELLE NAVI DELLA SFORTUNATA SPEDIZIONE ARTICA DELL'ESPLORATORE SIR JOHN FRANKLIN (1845-1848)
L'importanza del ritrovamento - si veda l'immagine sonar nella foto sopra - è da ricercarsi soprattutto nella definizione della sovranità artica del Canada. Stabilire la posizione dell'affondamento e le sue presumibili cause è stato lo scopo di numerose spedizioni di ricerca fin da allora.
In questi ultimi anni le ricerche svolte anche con apparecchiature super-sofisticate hanno visto l'impegno di ingenti capitali da parte di istituzioni pubbliche e private, portando alla scoperta di numerosi reperti, arredi e suppellettili, nei punti di sosta dei sopravvissuti all'affondamento nonchè resti umani perfettamente conservati dal gelo. Si spera di rinvenire diari di bordo e lastre fotografiche (a bordo di una delle navi era stato imbarcato un dagherrotipo) che possano documentare lo svolgersi della spedizione e la sua misteriosa fine.
Uno dei numerosi articoli apparsi nei giorni scorsi sulla stampa italiana:
OTTAWA—Prime Minister
Stephen Harper announced today the discovery of one of the shipwrecks of Sir
John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845-48 British Arctic Expedition. At this time it is
not clear which of the two ships, HMS Terror or Erebus, has been found
because of similarities of the two vessels; however, the ship’s authenticity
has been confirmed.
The
discovery of the wreck was confirmed on Sunday, Sept. 7, using a remotely
operated underwater vehicle recently acquired by Parks Canada. Details of where
exactly the ship was found have not yet been released.
“I’m delighted to
announce that this year’s Victoria Strait Expedition has solved one of Canada’s
greatest mysteries,” said Harper in a release.
“I would like to congratulate
and pay tribute to all partners involved in this year’s momentous Victoria
Strait Expedition, including Parks Canada, The Royal Canadian Geographical
Society, the Arctic Research Foundation, the Canadian Coast Guard, the Royal
Canadian Navy and the Government of Nunavut.”
In addition to the numerous government agencies involved in this year’s search, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society had assembled a formidable group of private and non-profit partners to aid in the hunt. The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, One Ocean Expeditions, the Arctic Research Foundation and Shell Canada joined the RCGS in the 2014 Victoria Strait Expedition.
In addition to the numerous government agencies involved in this year’s search, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society had assembled a formidable group of private and non-profit partners to aid in the hunt. The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, One Ocean Expeditions, the Arctic Research Foundation and Shell Canada joined the RCGS in the 2014 Victoria Strait Expedition.
“This is one of the two
most important undiscovered shipwrecks in the world. The discovery of a
Franklin expedition ship raises the possibility that some of the enduring
mysteries surrounding the expedition’s destruction can be solved,” says John
Geiger, chief executive officer of the RCGS and its Head of Expedition, who had
been participating in the search in Victoria Strait.
“It’s a wonderful and
exciting discovery that promises to shed more light on the ill-fated
expedition’s final months, weeks and days,” says Geiger, co-author of Frozen In Time: The Fate of the
Franklin Expedition. “The Franklin Expedition, and the search to
understand its fate, is at the foundation of Canada’s sovereignty in the
Arctic.”
All participants in the
2014 Victoria Strait Expedition carried the RCGS expedition flag, and were
instrumental in its success.
“For over 150 years the
fate of the Franklin Expedition has remained a mystery. The W. Garfield Weston
Foundation is delighted to have taken part in this historic find and
congratulates its partners on the success of this year’s expedition. Our team
and its search speak to our collective expertise in history, science and the
sovereignty of our great country. We are proud to be Canadian,” says Geordie
Dalglish, a director of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and chair of its
northern committee.
One
Ocean Expeditions managing director and 2014 Victoria Strait Expedition partner
Andrew Prossin says, “this is a great moment for Canada and Canadians from
North to South. This was truly a Canadian effort combining our special spirit,
know-how and innovation. It is something that we at One Ocean Expeditions are
truly proud to have been a vital part of.”
Also a participant in
the RCGS partnership, Robert Blaauw, Arctic theme and policy manager at Shell
Canada, says “Shell is proud to be associated with the successful expedition
that found one of the missing Franklin ships. This discovery is of key
importance to Canadian and British history and is also a celebration of Arctic
exploration. Through its partnership with The Royal Canadian Geographical
Society, Shell Canada looks forward to sharing the great story of the Franklin
Expedition in schools throughout Canada.”
Speaking as the chair of
the Arctic Research Foundation and RCGS partner, Jim Balsillie added “this is
obviously a major achievement for everyone involved, one that I see as a
beginning, not an end. My hope is that with this new and important milestone,
Canadians can build a stronger knowledge base and engagement with the Arctic.
It’s a landscape that has shaped Canadian history, influences our safety and
security and holds enormous promise for the future of our Northern communities
and the country as a whole.”
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