Andrée, Salomon August

Andrée, Salomon August (sä`lmôn ou`gəst ändrā`), 1854–97, Swedish polar explorer. An aeronautical engineer, he was the first to attempt arctic exploration by air. His first attempt by balloon in 1896 was unsuccessful, owing largely to bad weather. In 1897, however, he set out again in a balloon called the Eagle. Beset by mishaps from the start, Andrée and his party reached as far as 82°56'N, where insufficient food and clothing halted their progress. All three members of the party died of exposure. Search expeditions failed, and it was not until 1930 that a Norwegian scientific expedition accidentally found the remains and diaries of Andrée and his two companions. These diaries are included in Andrée's Story (tr. 1930).