The incredible story behind Shackleton's Endurance shipwreck

The discovery, after 107 years, of Ernest Shackleton's sunken ice breaker Endurance in the deep, icy waters of Antarctica is only the latest chapter in a gripping tale of heroism and survival that still inspires today.

(CNN) — Sometimes shipwrecks contain sunken treasure, cargoes of gold or jewelry that tempt bounty hunters to risk treacherous seas in pursuit of lucrative rewards. Other shipwrecks are themselves the treasure -- the stories of their ill-fated voyages creating a legend that makes them sparkle far more than any bullion or precious stones.

The wreck of HMS Endurance, which has finally been located deep beneath the icy seas of Antarctica after being lost 107 years ago, was arguably the most valuable shipwreck ever sought. That's because its discovery adds another thrilling new chapter to an already gripping tale of perseverance and survival that has echoed down the decades and still inspires today.

Incredibly well preserved at a depth of almost two miles, the ship is little changed from the day in November 1914 when it finally sank beneath the ice.