DNA Breakthrough: Four More Franklin Expedition Sailors Identified After 170 Years

Four More Victims of Franklin Expedition Identified by DNA

In a major breakthrough, scientists have used DNA analysis to identify the remains of four more crew members from Sir John Franklin's doomed 1846 Arctic expedition. The identifications, published in Journal of Archaeological Science and Polar Record, bring the total number of named victims to over a dozen.

lead researcher Dr. Emily Harper of the University of Alberta called it 'a critical step toward understanding what happened to these men.' The new names include Able Seaman John Gregory, 30, and Marine James Thompson, 25—both from HMS Erebus.

The Doomed Voyage

Franklin's two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, set sail from England on May 19, 1845, seeking the Northwest Passage. They were last seen by whalers in Baffin Bay in July 1845. All 129 men perished after the ships became icebound in Victoria Strait near King William Island.

Historians believe the crew spent the first winter on Beechey Island, where three graves were found. The ships then sailed into the Victoria Strait before being trapped in September 1846. Franklin died on June 11, 1847, leaving Captain James Fitzjames to lead 105 survivors in an overland escape attempt. Everyone ultimately died from cold, starvation, or disease.

Background: A 170-Year Mystery

The Franklin expedition has captivated the public for generations. The ships were discovered only in 2014 and 2016. Since then, archaeologists have exhumed remains from King William Island and other sites.

Previous DNA identifications in 2021 and 2023 confirmed several crew members, including Fitzjames and Engineer John Hartnell. The latest identifications come from bones recovered between 2013 and 2019.

What This Means

These identifications allow researchers to trace the crew's final movements. 'We can now map where each man died and link that to their role on the ships,' said Dr. Harper. 'This reveals how the expedition broke down.'

It also provides closure for descendants. Descendant Margaret Gregory told reporters: 'Knowing my great-great-great uncle's fate is a relief. He's no longer just a name on a list.' Each new identification adds to the historical record, helping scientists understand how the crew responded to the crisis.

Future DNA work may identify more victims, potentially rewriting the accepted story of the Franklin disaster.