Nobile has reached the North Pole!

Few exploratory voyages have been so trouble-free as the Italia’s outward journey from King’s Bay to the North Pole. True, the weather deteriorated in the final stages, but shortly after midnight (so early morning on 24 May), the airship Italia was hovering over the pole. Unberto Nobile hoisted the cross from the Pope overboard, and sent Pius XI a radio-telegram confirming the success of the Italia mission. The team shared a bottle of Vov, a peculiarly Italian liqueur that affects to be a sort of liquid version of zabajone.

Finn Malmgren was aware that the weather might not be on their side and urged a quick departure, so after hovering at the pole for two hours, Nobile gave the order to make course back south for King’s Bay.