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Willem Barents
Dutch Navigator & Explorer
 Dutch navigator who searched for a northeastern passage from Europe to Asia. The Barents Sea, which he crossed in three different years, and Barents Islands were named after him. Barents is known for the accurate Charts, maps, and meteorological he collected on his extensive voyages in the Arctic.
The first of his voyages began in 1594, when
he reached the northeastern extremity of Novaya Zemla islands and
returned. The following year, he participated in a second unsuccessful
expedition to find a northeastern passage to Asia.On his third voyage, which began in May 1596, Barents discovered and
named Spitsbergen Island (Svalbard), north of Norway. At that point, the
expeditions two ships split up and began to explore the coastline
separately. During the course of his voyage, Barents’s ship became in
ice on the open sea north of Novaya Zemla for the winter. In June of
1597, Barents and his crew attempted to reach land in an open boat,
braving near freezing waters, rough seas, and ever-present dangers all
around. Barents failed to survive the trip, but his companions did,
reaching the shores of Laplands and were rescued.
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