Sailors from doomed Arctic mission with no survivors identified by DNA
Summary
Researchers have used DNA testing to identify the remains of sailors who died on the HMS Erebus expedition in the Arctic during the 1840s. They have contacted living relatives and will display newly found artifacts from the ship at a heritage center in Pembroke Dock, Wales.Key Facts
- HMS Erebus was built in 1826 and lost in the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage in 1845.
- The ship became stuck in ice in 1846, and all crew members died after surviving harsh conditions and a long struggle.
- The wreck of HMS Erebus was found in 2014 in northern Canadian waters.
- DNA from the remains has identified three sailors from Erebus and one from HMS Terror.
- Researchers contacted 130 families in seven countries to find living descendants.
- Some skeletons showed evidence of cannibalism, but the identified sailors did not.
- Forensic artists created a facial image of one sailor, David Young, from the DNA and skeletal data.
- Artifacts from the ship, including a bowl and an officer’s boot, will be displayed at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.
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