The Wreck of the Erebus

One of the most tragic and ellusive events in maritime history, the fate of the Franklin Expedition has been shrouded in mystery for over a century. In 1845, Sir John Franklin and his crew boarded two ships, the HMS Erebus and Terror and set forth to discover the Northwest Passage, the long sought after connection between the Atlantic and the Pacific. This would not come to pass, however, and the entire crew would never be heard from again. Now in the modern era, this mystery has given up one of it's greatest secrets. In 2014, the discovery of the HMS Erebus birthed a new era of interest and research into the lost expedition. This discovery had shed light on the fate of Franklin and his crew, however with this new discovery comes a host of challenges. Locating the wreck of the Erebus has brought about a new era of legal dispute, global diplomacy, scientific advancement, and historical understanding. Despite these challenges, the wreck also provides a chance to revisit and learn from the past. Governments and communities can work together and previously sidelined voices can take center stage. Where the Franklin expedition for years has represented the danger of the unknown, the discovery of the Erebus has the opportunity to shed light and understanding on one of the arctic's great mysteries.