MS Explorer facts for kids
The MS Explorer was a special cruise ship. It was known by other names too, like MS Lindblad Explorer and MS Society Explorer. This ship was built to sail in very cold places, especially around Antarctica. It was the first cruise ship ever made just for exploring the icy waters of the Southern Ocean.
The Explorer was ordered by a Swedish explorer named Lars-Eric Lindblad. Later, a travel company from Toronto called G.A.P Adventures bought it in 2004. The Explorer became famous for another reason. It was the first cruise ship to ever sink in the Antarctic Ocean. This happened on November 23, 2007, after it hit something underwater. Luckily, everyone on board was rescued safely.
History of the Explorer
The Explorer was built in 1969 in Finland. It was designed for special trips to faraway places. The ship was named the Lindblad Explorer after Lars-Eric Lindblad, who was a pioneer in these kinds of tours.
In February 11, 1972, the Explorer ran aground, meaning it hit the bottom, near Antarctica. All the people on board were saved by the Chilean Navy. The ship was then taken away for repairs.
Years later, in 1998, the Explorer made history again. It was the first ship to sail all the way around James Ross Island in Antarctica. The Explorer was even shown on postage stamps from South Georgia.
The Sinking of the Explorer
On November 11, 2007, the Explorer started a 19-day trip from Ushuaia, Argentina. The cruise was following the path of a famous explorer, Ernest Shackleton, through the Drake Passage. This area is often very stormy.
After visiting the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island, the Explorer hit something underwater. This happened on November 23, 2007, near King George Island in the Southern Ocean. The object made a hole about 10 by 4 inches (25 by 10 cm) in the ship's left side. Sea water quickly started to pour in.
Some people on board said they heard a loud bang. Others felt nothing more than the usual crunching sounds of ice. A passenger reported water in their room around 3:00 AM.
Rescue Operations
The ship sent out a distress call, known as a "mayday," at 4:24 AM. Rescue teams from Argentina and Chile quickly started to help. Chile sent an icebreaker ship called the Almirante Viel. Other nearby ships also came to help, including the MN Ushuaia and the MS Nordnorge.
By 7:30 AM, everyone on the Explorer had left the ship. This included 91 passengers, 9 guides, and 54 crew members from many different countries. They got into life rafts and floated for about three to four hours. The Norwegian ship MS Nordnorge arrived by 10:00 AM and picked everyone up.
The Explorer is believed to have sunk around 7:00 PM that same day. It sank about 20 hours after hitting the unknown object.
After the Rescue
Some of the people rescued by the Nordnorge were taken to the Chilean Eduardo Frei Montalva Station on King George Island. From there, they were flown by C-130 Hercules planes to Punta Arenas, Chile. Other survivors were taken to Uruguay.
