Polarquest’s inspiration is the tragic polar expedition of Airship ITALIA, carried out in 1928 by polar pioneer and aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile.
During our 2018 expedition on boat sailing vessel Nanuq, we reached the geographical coordinates from where the first SOS message was radioed by ITALIA crew member Giuseppe Biagi (81°14 Nm 25°25 E). In this point, we celebrated the first and only commemoration ceremony ever held in the open Arctic Ocean.
Our experts deployed an innovative 3-D multibeam sonar to search for any potential metallic wreck of the lost Airship, following the route considered one of the most likely search paths, based on Umberto Nobile’s indications after the crash. This was the first documented targeted attempt at locating the wreck of airship ITALIA 90 years later. Norbit Subsea analysed the data collected, and while we did not spot the wreck of the ITALIA main truss (a 100 m. long metallic piece) we discovered the tracks of ancient underwater glaciers whose existance was still unknown.
The search goes on! A group of experts is trying to restrict the search area, based on the accurate analysis of historical data and the evolution of marine currents and winds over the years. We’ll raise the anchor in 2028, on the centenary of the ITALIA crash. Stay tuned for more!
