The Nautilus Disappeared — What Really Happened After the Mission

Описание: For hundreds of years, the North Pole remained one of humanity’s greatest unsolved challenges. Early expeditions were driven by the dream of discovering a sea route through the Arctic to Asia—the legendary Northwest Passage. As time passed, the goal shifted from commerce to conquest, with explorers seeking the Pole itself. Yet for centuries, the frozen heart of the Arctic resisted every attempt to reach it.

The environment was brutally hostile. Sitting in the center of the Arctic Ocean, the North Pole is not solid land but a drifting sheet of sea ice—constantly reshaped by wind, ocean currents, and seasonal thawing. Explorers attempted the journey by ship, by dogsled, and even on foot, but the shifting ice and extreme cold defeated nearly all of them. It wasn’t until 1926 that a widely accepted expedition reached the North Pole, and even then, it was achieved from the air. The airship Norge passed over the Pole but never touched down on its surface.

By the late 1920s, famed explorer Sir Hubert Wilkins believed he had found the solution. He became convinced that the only reliable way to reach the North Pole was from below. A submarine, protected from storms and moving ice, could travel beneath the frozen ocean for long periods—avoiding the dangers that had doomed surface expeditions. Equipped with advanced scientific instruments, its crew could also carry out groundbreaking research in meteorology, oceanography, biology, magnetism, and atmospheric science.

Wilkins’ chosen vessel was a submarine named Nautilus. Originally built during World War I, it had been retired from service and then dramatically rebuilt under the guidance of celebrated naval architect Simon Lake. The submarine was fitted with a reinforced bow, shock-absorbing structures, and sled-like runners to withstand contact with thick sea ice. A specialized diving chamber and airlock allowed crew members to exit the vessel while submerged. Most critically, Nautilus was equipped with three powerful ice-drilling systems, enabling it to break through the ice to replenish air, recharge batteries, and even allow the crew to emerge without surfacing completely.

In June of 1931, the Nautilus set off toward the North Pole with a crew of twenty men aboard. None of them fully understood how punishing the expedition would become. Almost from the very beginning, the mission was plagued by problems—and the journey quickly turned into a test of endurance, ingenuity, and survival.