The 1928 Expedition to the North Pole: key facts

The year 2008 marks several important anniversaries in the history of polar exploration. Forty years since Wally Herbert’s long walk across the Arctic, fifty years since the Nautilus submarine expedition under the northern ice cap, and eighty years since the death of Roald Amundsen.

Roald Amunden died in June 1928 while on a rescue mission – trying to locate survivors from the Italia airship disaster.

The Italia left its Milan base in mid April, under the command of Umberto Nobile. Destination: the North Pole. In late May, the pioneer aviators reached their goal. But luck was not on their side. Returning south towards Spitsbergen, the Italia was damaged in a storm and plunged onto the pack ice. Some among the crew of sixteen survived, others died in the accident or in the weeks thereafter.

The story of the Italia is truly amazing. Join us here at hidden europe throughout the spring and summer as we track, eighty years after the event, the incredible tale of the Italia’s journey and the international rescue mission mounted in the wake of the airship’s crash.