Marine archaeologists working off Sein Island, western Brittany, have documented a large, stone-built structure lying several metres below today’s sea level. Detailed analysis confirms that the wall is human-made and dates to between approximately 5800 and 5300 BCE, making it one of the oldest known submerged constructions of its kind in Europe..
Named Svælget 2 after the shipping channel just outside Copenhagen where it was found, the ship dates to the early 15th century and offers rare insight into the scale, ambition, and technical sophistication of northern European seafaring during the Middle Ages.
The wreck was located in 2021 during excavations related to Lynetteholm, an artificial peninsula currently under construction at the entrance to Copenhagen Harbour, Denmark, which will become a new urban district and act as a storm surge barrier.
Colombian scientists have recovered the first artefacts from the wreck of the San José, a Spanish galleon sunk in 1708 during the War of Spanish Succession. Long described as the “Holy Grail” of shipwrecks due to its immense cargo of bullion, ceramics and private wealth, the site has remained untouched for over 300 years until the recent carefully controlled extraction.
After more than a century of mystery, technical divers from the community-led initiative, ProjectXplore, have conclusively identified the wreck of HMS Bayano, a First World War armed merchant cruiser sunk by the German submarine U-27 on 11 March 1915. The 126-metre vessel now rests at a depth of 106 metres in the North Channel, between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A new study has outlined how muography, a technique that uses naturally occurring cosmic particles known as muons, could be applied to detect and map shipwrecks lying underwater. Researchers suggest the method may overcome limitations of sonar and optical surveys in sediment-heavy or turbid waters.
Archaeologists working on the wreck of the Gripshunden, the flagship of King Hans (John, in English) of Denmark and Norway, have uncovered Europe’s oldest known naval artillery. The 15th-century ship sank in the Baltic Sea in 1495, and recent dives have revealed a remarkable cache of wrought-iron guns, offering fresh insight into the dawn of heavily armed warships and the rise of European colonial power.
(Image on top: This photogrammetry model was created from thousands of 4k photos and stitched together to create a 3D model of the King. This view shows the damage to its bow when it hit the bottom and to its stern when it blew off from the air rushing back as the iron ore cargo slammed forward. Credit: Zach Whitrock, Wisconsin Historical Society.)
In a historic mission, professional deep-sea divers have retrieved a collection of artefacts from the wreck of HMHS Britannic, which sank after striking a mine in 1916 off the Greek island of Kea. The items, recovered from a depth exceeding 120 metres, offer new physical insight into the life and service of the ship and its passengers. The operation marks the first time objects have been brought up directly from the wreck site.
Authorities in Chuuk have confirmed an oil spill from the World War II wreck of the Rio de Janeiro Maru in Uman, Chuuk Lagoon. The leak, first noticed by divers on 11 September and confirmed on 13 September 2025, has released oil near one of the lagoon’s most popular wrecks. Officials warn the incident highlights the wider risk posed by the 63 wartime wrecks scattered across the lagoon.
An international expedition led by the Ocean Exploration Trust and partners, including NOAA and the Naval History and Heritage Command, has confirmed the discovery of the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Teruzuki—lying wrecked at a depth of over 800 metres in Iron Bottom Sound, Solomon Islands.
