DNA Analysis Identifies Four Additional Crew Members of Franklin Expedition
Archaeologists have successfully identified four more crew members from Captain Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1846 Arctic expedition using advanced DNA analysis. The findings, detailed in papers published in the Journal of Archaeological Science and Polar Record, add to the growing list of identified sailors from the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Three of the newly identified individuals served on the HMS Erebus, while the fourth was Petty Officer Harry Peglar of the HMS Terror. Since 2021, scientists have compared genetic profiles from 46 archaeological samples, including bone, tooth, and hair remains found on King William Island, with cheek swabs from descendants of expedition members. This breakthrough follows the earlier identification of chief engineer John Gregory. The Franklin expedition, which aimed to cross the Northwest Passage, ended in tragedy when both ships became icebound in the Victoria Strait, leading to the deaths of all 129 crew members. The discovery of the shipwrecks in 2014 and 2016, preserved in cold, silt-covered waters, has facilitated ongoing forensic research. These identifications help resolve historical mysteries surrounding the final days of the crew, who perished after abandoning their vessels in an attempt to reach civilization.
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DNA Analysis Identifies Four Additional Crew Members of Franklin Expedition
Archaeologists have successfully identified four more crew members from Captain Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1846 Arctic expedition using advanced DNA analysis. The findings, detailed in papers published in the Journal of Archaeological Science and Polar Record, add to the growing list of identified sailors from the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Three of the newly identified individuals served on the HMS Erebus, while the fourth was Petty Officer Harry Peglar of the HMS Terror. Since 2021, scientists have compared genetic profiles from 46 archaeological samples, including bone, tooth, and hair remains found on King William Island, with cheek swabs from descendants of expedition members. This breakthrough follows the earlier identification of chief engineer John Gregory. The Franklin expedition, which aimed to cross the Northwest Passage, ended in tragedy when both ships became icebound in the Victoria Strait, leading to the deaths of all 129 crew members. The discovery of the shipwrecks in 2014 and 2016, preserved in cold, silt-covered waters, has facilitated ongoing forensic research. These identifications help resolve historical mysteries surrounding the final days of the crew, who perished after abandoning their vessels in an attempt to reach civilization.
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