Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site facts for kids

The Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site protects two famous shipwrecks. These are HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. They were part of Sir John Franklin's last expedition. His crew was trying to find the Northwest Passage through the Arctic.

This special site is located near King William Island in Nunavut, Canada. It is managed by Parks Canada and the local Inuit people together. For now, people are not allowed to visit the site directly.

The Story of the Lost Ships

The RV David Thompson, a Parks Canada research ship, near the wreck of HMS Erebus in 2019.

Sir John Franklin's expedition set out in 1845. Both ships and their crews disappeared in the Arctic. For many years, no one knew what happened to them.

Finally, on September 7, 2014, the wreck of HMS Erebus was found. It was discovered by a Canadian expedition in Wilmot and Crampton Bay. This bay is west of the Adelaide Peninsula, south of King William Island. The ship lay in about 11 meters of water.

Two years later, on September 12, 2016, HMS Terror was also discovered. The Arctic Research Foundation found it in Terror Bay. This bay is off the southwest coast of King William Island. Terror was found much deeper, between 69 and 79 feet underwater.

Where the Wrecks Are Located

The National Historic Site is made up of two separate areas. Each area protects one of the shipwrecks.

• The Erebus wreck is in Wilmot and Crampton Bay.
• The Terror wreck is in Terror Bay.

Both bays are near King William Island in the Canadian Arctic.

Exploring the Wrecks

On the "Qiniqtiryuaq" barge next to the Erebus wreck. Parks Canada uses this barge for archaeology work.

Since their discovery, archaeologists have been studying the wrecks. Parks Canada leads this important research. They use a ship called the RV David Thompson as a base for their team.

They also use a special barge named "Qiniqtiryuaq." This barge helps divers explore the wrecks underwater. The divers carefully remove artifacts, which are then documented and preserved. These artifacts help us learn more about Franklin's expedition.

Who Owns the Wrecks?

The ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were once part of the Royal Navy. This means they belonged to the United Kingdom.

Before the wrecks were found, the UK and Canada made an agreement in 1997. They agreed that Canada could own the wrecks if they were found in Canadian waters. Later, in 1999, the territory of Nunavut was created. As part of this, the Inuit people were given ownership of archaeological sites and artifacts in Nunavut.

After the ships were discovered, a new agreement was made in 2019.

• The first 65 artifacts found belong to the United Kingdom.
• The wrecks themselves and any new artifacts found belong to Canada and the Inuit Heritage Trust.
• Any gold found will belong to the United Kingdom.
• Any human remains found will be returned to the United Kingdom.

In return, Canada did not ask the UK to pay for the costs of finding and preserving the wrecks. The Canadian Government and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association are also planning a visitor center. It will be in Gjoa Haven and will be part of the existing Nattilik Heritage Centre.

Visiting the Site

Inuit guardians from Gjoa Haven on the MS Ocean Endeavour during a trial visit in 2019.

Normally, the public is not allowed to visit the wreck sites. This helps protect these important historical places. However, Inuit people are allowed to hunt and fish in the protected area.

To keep the sites safe, Inuit people from Gjoa Haven work as guardians. They camp near the wrecks to watch over them.

In September 2019, Parks Canada tried a special visitor experience. Passengers from a ship called MS Ocean Endeavour were allowed to visit the HMS Erebus site. This was a test to see if public visits could be managed in the future.