The HMS Endurance, the ship of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton that sank in 1915, has been discovered intact off the coast of Antarctica. Shackleton and his crew set off from the UK in 1914. But when they reached McMurdo Sound, the ship became stuck in the thick ice of the Weddell Sea.

The most famous "mysterious" ship found in Antarctica in recent years is the Endurance, the lost vessel of legendary explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The wreck was discovered in March 2022, but it has remained a major topic of scientific interest through 2025 and 2026 due to its "jaw-dropping" state of preservation. Found at a depth of 3,008 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) in the Weddell Sea, the ship is perfectly intact, with the name "Endurance" still clearly visible on the stern. The freezing, oxygen-poor waters of the Antarctic prevented the wood-eating worms that usually destroy wrecks from surviving, essentially "mummifying" the ship in the deep ocean. Beyond the Endurance, there are frequent internet rumors and Google Earth "discoveries" of mysterious objects—often dubbed "ghost ships" or "ice ships"—that turn out to be uniquely shaped icebergs or geological formations. However, the discovery of the Endurance stands as the definitive maritime find of the century, providing a direct link to the "Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration" and the incredible survival story of Shackleton and his crew.