His first attempt in 1896 had to be abandoned because the wind was from the wrong direction. But the following year, 11 July 1897, Salomon August Andrée, Nils Strindberg, and Knut Frænkel set off for the North Pole in the hydrogen balloon ‘Örnen’. The balloon was equipped with long drag-ropes intended for steering. Immediately after the launch, some of the drag-ropes were lost and the crew were unable to steer the balloon. As they travelled farther north, rain and fog led to formation of ice on the balloon and after just 65 hours aloft, they were forced to land. This marked the beginning of a three-month, 400 kilometre long trek on foot across the ice. In early October they reached Kvitøya.
Their attempt to survive the winter on Kvitøya ended in tragedy. All three died shortly after reaching the island. The cause remains a mystery. One theory is that they contracted trichinosis from eating polar bear meat; another that they died of carbon monoxide poisoning. More recent research suggests that they may have died after a polar bear attack.
For 33 years, Andrée’s fate remained unknown. But in August 1930, a Norwegian expedition to Franz Josef Land led by Gunnar Horn happened upon the men’s remains at their intended wintering site. Their diaries were also found, along with some artifacts and quite a lot of film. The films could be developed despite years under ice and snow, providing photographs from the entire journey.
Scientific material of interest was also found, particularly astronomical and meteorological observations.
Andrée, Strindberg, and Frænkel were transported home and buried from Storkyrkan in Stockholm, 5 October 1930.