I remember reading of one of the South Pole explorations (forgot which one) had trouble, and had to get back to help. The navigator got them to an island, and they got rescued. Difficult navigation with sextant, etc., due to being down there at the bottom of the sphere. I think there was no loss of life.That was the Ernest Shackleton expedition. Their ship Endurance got caught and crushed in the sea ice, they departed in three lifeboats to Elephant Island, from which they sent a single lifeboat to South Georgia Island, where they were able to locate help and eventual rescue of all. Every man was saved.
Yes, the Ernest Shackleton expedition of 1914. An epic of courage and endurance. The part always with me was when, not knowing they had journeyed the right way, they paused. The Norwegians had a whaling station which was out of sight. If they had taken the route to safety, they would hear the whistle to arouse the Norwegians at 6.00 am. The start of the working day.
A watch was produced and they waited. Then at 6.00 am they heard the whistle. A mile or so on, they saw the whaling station The Norwegians treated them royally and sent a team back for the men left behind. Excuse the liberty of this post, but that moment when they heard the whistle lives with me.