A coffin among the ice
16 July 1872 17 June 1928 Roald Amundsen Engelbert, famous Explorer, was born on 16 July 1872 in Borge, near Oslo. Family expectations should devote themselves to study medicine instead, driven by an innate sense of adventure, is attracted to a busier life and perilous. It thus decides to enlist in the Navy, which later will allow him to attend the first polar expedition of his life, the one made with the "Belgica" over the years ranging from 1897 to 1899. The hard life aboard the ship Norwegian and hardening serves as preparation for future adventures in the Arctic environment. A resounding success, demonstrating the innate gift he had for solving extreme situations, you have a few years later, in the early 20th century when, in command of the ship "Gjöa", unable to finish, first, the route through the terrible Northwest Passage and to determine the location of the Northern magnetic pole. This result pushes him to want to take other trips and other explorations. The mind runs across the North Pole, then unexplored land. It is already about to organize an expedition when he discovers that he had been preceded by Peary, reaching the goal in 1909. Conquered a pole, however, remained still another ... Amundsen changes then destination but, strangely, not spread it and not tell anyone. In fact, secretly buys the Fram, already used in the Arctic by Nansen, filling up of debts and part precisely for the South Pole. Not known, however, to be competing with Scott, he also left for the same destination with an expedition organized down to the smallest detail and with other means. Begins at this point the exhausting and terrifying challenge that saw the participation of the two great explorers, determined to do anything to be the first to plant the flag of your country to the most inaccessible end of planet Earth. On 14 December 1911 the five members of the Group planted the Norwegian flag at the South Pole. The photo that captures the moment is historic. The January 25, 1912 the expedition was returning to base camp after 2,980 km in 99 days; There were 11 dogs on 13 while men had suffered snow blindness, frostbite and burns from wind. A month after Scott arrives on site, finding a message left by the crew. A bad end awaits though English and his companions: will be found dead frozen in the winter of 1913, only 18 km from the base camp that would allow their survival. Pleased to have realized the dream of his life, the Explorer is not content with this. Back at home and paid off debts, plan new trips. In 1918/20 runs through the Northeast passage in the footsteps of Baron Nordenskjold while in 1925 manages to reach the 88° North by plane. In 1926, together with the Italian noble and the American Ellsworth, flies over the North Pole with airship Norge. Following some controversy arose after the trip, Amundsen and Nobile do not appeal to you again. Yet, when Noble you crash on the pack with the airship Italy, having reached the North Pole, the Norwegian Explorer will not hesitate starting to his rescue. Amundsen takes off, without turning, from Tromsø on 17 June 1928 on board the Latham 47, with one aircraft made available by the French Government. A few months later was found a wreckage of his plane in the North of the northern coasts of Norway. Roald Amundsen was no longer news.