Sailors from doomed 1845 polar expedition identified through DNA
Summary
Researchers have used DNA to identify four sailors who died in the 1845 Franklin Expedition, a British mission to explore the Arctic that ended in disaster with all 129 crew members lost. The team compared DNA from the sailors' remains and artifacts to living relatives, confirming the identities of three sailors from the HMS Erebus and one from the HMS Terror.Key Facts
- The Franklin Expedition began in 1845 to chart a passage around northern North America.
- The ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror became trapped in Arctic ice for nearly two years.
- All 129 crew members died by 1848, making it Britain's worst polar exploration disaster.
- Scientists extracted DNA from archaeological remains linked to the expedition.
- DNA was compared to that of living relatives to identify four sailors.
- Identified sailors from the Erebus were William Orren, David Young, and John Bridgens.
- Harry Peglar, from the HMS Terror, was also identified, solving a longstanding mystery about his remains.
- Some questions remain about why Peglar wore a steward’s uniform and why his remains were found far from others.
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