Eighty-two years after it sank during the pivotal Battle of Midway, USS Yorktown has been revisited in a landmark deep-sea expedition. Using remotely operated vehicles, researchers from NOAA have conducted the first detailed visual survey of the wreck, revealing remarkable preservation and an unexpected find—a 1940s-era vehicle resting on the hangar deck.
In an extraordinary archaeological discovery, the remains of a 16th-century Portuguese ship, along with a treasure trove of gold coins and navigational instruments, have been unearthed in the Namibian desert. The wreck was first discovered in 2008 by diamond miners working along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. While excavating the area, part of the ship’s hull and numerous artefacts came to light, including bronze cannons, navigational tools and over 2,000 gold coins, primarily Portuguese cruzados and Spanish excelentes.
A team from the University of Rhode Island conducted a mission using their remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Rhody, to help confirm these new wrecks within NOAA’s protected waters. Researchers were able to map wrecks with centimetre-level accuracy and create photorealistic 3D models thanks to the ultra-high-resolution imaging Stereo Camera that was mounted on the ROV. This advancement will help with the interpretation and preservation of the sites.
Built in 1881 by the Rand & Burger company and originally named J.C. Perrett, the tugboat was one of the most powerful vessels on the Great Lakes, boasting a 670-horsepower engine. Designed to haul lumber and railway barges, it could tow as many as five barges of timber simultaneously.
The vessel—believed to have sunk during a storm in the 15th or 16th century when the site was still underwater—has been named Ciutadella I, after the nearby park. A 10-metre-long and three-metre-wide section of the stern was revealed, featuring more than 30 curved ribs and a hull fastened with both wooden and iron nails. The construction is consistent with Mediterranean and European shipbuilding techniques from the mid-15th century onwards.
The wreck, named Camarat 4, was located in March 2025 during a French Navy seabed exploration mission that employed an autonomous drone. Sonar detected a large object, and a remotely operated vehicle later captured high-resolution images of the site, revealing an extraordinary level of preservation. The vessel’s position and the clarity of the artefacts led researchers to describe the site as appearing “as if time froze.”
Each sunken vessel is a frozen moment in history. Barnacle-encrusted cannons, rusted hulls, coral-covered cargo holds—all slowly transforming into accidental reefs. For marine archaeologists, these sites are underwater museums. For divers, they are portals to other eras.
In the crowded " Dimitrios Pandermalis" amphitheater of the New Acropolis Museum, the conference and press conference of the " Korseai" Institute of Historical and Archaeological Research concluded on May 15, 2025, attended by journalists, politicians, and municipal representatives.
On 17 December 1917, USS F-1 collided with its sister ship, USS F-3, off the coast of San Diego during a training exercise in dense fog. The impact caused the F-1 to sink within ten seconds, resulting in the loss of 19 crew members. A mere five sailors survived the incident. The submarine now rests approximately 1,300ft (~396m) beneath the Pacific Ocean.
Marine archaeologists have confirmed the discovery of the Koning Willem de Tweede, a Dutch merchant ship that sank off the coast of Robe, South Australia, in June 1857. The 800-ton, 140-foot vessel was located approximately 400m offshore in Guichen Bay, submerged at depths between 4 and 6 metres.
