In 1845, British explorer Sir John Franklin and his two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, set sail in search of the Northwest Passage. The expedition would go horribly wrong, and 129 men, including Sir John Franklin would perish.
In 2014, the HMS Erebus was discovered in Wilmot and Crampton Bay, off the coast of Nunavut. The HMS Terror has now been found in King William Island’s Terror Bay.
The HMS Terror was found in 24 metres of water, and in incredible shape with her masts still standing, glass windows intact, hatches closed, and goods stowed away.
If you’re interested in Sir John Franklin’s expedition, check out the award-winning Pierre Berton’s The Arctic Grail.
The Arctic Grail, a #1 best-selling book brings to life the great explorers: the pious and ambitious Edward Parry, the flawed hero Sir John Franklin, ruthless Robert Peary and the cool Norwegian Roald Amundsen.
These men battled the bitter cold, relentless ice and winter darkness in pursuit of the Northwest passage linking the Atlantic and the Pacific, and the international race to reach the North Pole.
Our section on Lighthouses & Shipwrecks has loads of other great books on maritime tragedies!
For full stories on the tragedy of Franklin’s expedition and the HMS Terror, check out articles by MacLean’s, The CBC, and The Toronto Star.
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