Series of news reports and features follow the search on CBC-TV, CBC News Network, CBC Radio One, CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App and Radio-Canada; plus,
travels to the Arctic and presents his reports on The National, Sept. 10 and 11
Could we be on the cusp of discovering the final resting place of one of the most mysterious–and most tragic–naval expeditions in Canadian history?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today a three-year project to discover the possible locations of Sir John Franklin’s ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, in the high Arctic. Led by Parks Canada, expedition archaeologists hope to close in on the remains of the two ships that set out in 1845 to traverse the Northwest Passage–only to disappear. CBC News and Radio-Canada have exclusive access as searchers use the latest underwater sonar and remote operated submersibles. The discovery of either or both wrecks or their contents will offer unprecedented information on the search for the Northwest Passage, the exploration of Canada’s North and the fate of Sir John Franklin and his crew.
In partnership with Parks Canada, CBC News and Radio-Canada offer Canadians in-depth features and exclusive coverage of the search–from an unparalleled perspective–on CBC Television, CBC News Network, CBC Radio One, CBCNews.ca and the CBC News App. Plus, chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge travels to the Arctic in early September and presents his exclusive reports on The National, Sept. 10 and 11.
Starting today, Aug. 23, CBC News’s David Common is with the expedition and reports live from the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
CBC News’s Reg Sherren is behind the scenes with Parks Canada’s underwater archaeology team as they prepare for the project. That story airs tonight on CBC Radio One’s World at Six, at 6 p.m. (6:30 NT), and The National, 10 p.m. (10:30 NT) on CBC-TV, 9 and 11 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network.
And CBCNews.ca launches a comprehensive website–CBCNews.ca/franklin. Highlights include interactive maps of Franklin’s ill-fated journey, videos from inside Park Canada’s research labs, photos of the new technologies used in the search, and all the latest breaking news. Plus, get analysis on Arctic politics and sovereignty battles, the growth of tourism and business in the North, and key research being conducted in the Arctic. There’s also a special online video introduction narrated by Peter Mansbridge, looking at the history of the expedition and its historical significance.
As the search continues, CBC News’s Margo McDiarmid explains why hopes are high for the expedition, and how the waters would preserve things well. And CBC News’s Curt Petrovic looks at some of the technical devices being used, including a sophisticated autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), supplied by the University of Victoria’s Ocean Technology Laboratory.
In addition, stories and reports from the CBC North news team will also appear regularly during the expedition, including a look at the astronomical cost of living in Northern Canadian communities and tourism in the region.
Then in early September, Peter Mansbridge travels to the Arctic to dig deeper into the story of the Franklin Expedition. Some of the stories he’ll look at include why fascination with the Franklin story persists, the story of the search, and the role of the Inuit in the Franklin story. Those exclusive reports air on The National, Sept. 10 and 11.
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