Endurance ship found 107 years after it sank - here's how people are reacting

Scientists have rediscovered and captured footage of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s long-lost ship, Endurance, 107 years after it sank off the coast of Antarctica - and the internet is pretty ecstatic about it.

Described as the "world’s most challenging shipwreck search," the Endurance which belonged to the Antarctic explorer was lost back in 1915 when it became trapped in dense sea ice, causing the wooden vessel to sink.

Though, luckily Shackleton and his men managed to avoid going under with the 144ft ship by escaping on foot and in small boats.

Over a century later, the Endurance was found at the bottom of the Weddell Sea, resting at 3,008 metres and located around four miles south of the position originally recorded by the ship’s captain Frank Worsley, according to The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust.

The Endurance22 expedition which managed to locate the ship set off on this quest from Cape Town, South Africa a month ago (just after the 100th anniversary of Sir Shackleton's death).

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Dr John Shears, the expedition leader, said: "The Endurance22 expedition has reached its goal. We have made polar history with the discovery of Endurance, and successfully completed the world's most challenging shipwreck search.

"In addition, we have undertaken important scientific research in a part of the world that directly affects the global climate and environment.

"We have also conducted an unprecedented educational outreach programme, with live broadcasting from on board, allowing new generations from around the world to engage with Endurance22 and become inspired by the amazing stories of polar exploration, and what human beings can achieve and the obstacles they can overcome when they work together."

The remarkable discovery also had the Twittersphere buzzing with excitement, as people shared their glee at the news.

British historian Dan Snow who was part of the Endurance expedition shared the news to his followers - noting how the discovery actually happened 100 years to the day since Shackleton was buried.

In his Twitter thread, Snow also noted that nothing was touched nor retrieved from the wreck.

Snow also made a hilarious video about the long-awaited discovery, as he showed himself asking the expedition team every day whether they had made any discoveries about the ship - to which they answered "no."

"Every. Single. Morning. For a month," Snow tweeted alongside the clip, but this morning routine is no longer the case now that they managed to track Endurance down.

While others noted how the name Endurance for the ship, was pretty apt at describing how well preserved the vessel is despite it sitting at the bottom of the sea for over a century.

Expedition director Mensun Bound also echoed this point and described the wreck of the Endurance as "by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen."

"We are overwhelmed by our good fortune in having located and captured images of Endurance," he said.

"This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen. It is upright, well proud of the seabed, intact, and in a brilliant state of preservation. You can even see 'Endurance' arced across the stern, directly below the taffrail."

"This is a milestone in polar history.

"However, it is not all about the past; we are bringing the story of Shackleton and Endurance to new audiences, and to the next generation, who will be entrusted with the essential safeguarding of our polar regions and our planet," Bound added.

"We hope our discovery will engage young people and inspire them with the pioneering spirit, courage and fortitude of those who sailed Endurance to Antarctica.

"We pay tribute to the navigational skills of Captain Frank Worsley, the captain of the Endurance, whose detailed records were invaluable in our quest to locate the wreck.

"I would like to thank my colleagues of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust for enabling this extraordinary expedition to take place, as well as Saab for their technology, and the whole team of dedicated experts who have been involved in this monumental discovery."

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