The discovery was made near Capri’s famous Blue Grotto, a site historically used as a private bath by Roman emperors. Divers from the Naples Police Headquarters’ underwater unit located the wreck, which contained obsidian core material at a depth of around 40m. One of the cores, showing clear traces of chiselling and carving, measures approximately 28 x 20 x 15 cm and weighs almost 8kg.
In an unprecedented archaeological feat, the shipwreck known as "Marausa 2," which sank off Marausa, Sicily, in the late 3rd century, has been meticulously recovered from the seabed in its entirety. This marks the first instance where a Roman ship has been raised in its complete form, as opposed to being retrieved piece by piece.
The waters off the coast of Norway have unveiled a long-hidden secret. The wreckage of the British submarine HMS Thistle, which sank during World War II, has been discovered after 83 years. The discovery was made by Norway's Institute of Marine Research and the MAREANO program during a routine seabed mapping cruise. The submarine's identification was confirmed only recently, following a subsequent cruise.
The HMS Thistle embarked on its final voyage on 10 April 1940. Tragically, it was torpedoed by a German submarine, leading to the loss of all 53 crew members on board.
Thirty shipwrecks associated with Operation Dynamo, a massive World War Two rescue operation, were surveyed by the French marine heritage agency Drassm in collaboration with Historic England.
This significant initiative, which took place between 25 September and 8 October, offers a detailed account of the wrecks' locations, characteristics and conditions, shedding light on the magnitude and human toll of this historic event.
On September 12, 2024, it is exactly 40 years ago the Hilma Hooker sank.
The Huronton was a steel bulk freighter. It was designed to transport large quantities of bulk cargo, such as coal, grain or ore. These types of vessels are characterized by large, open holds and are specifically built to handle and transport unpackaged bulk cargo efficiently across water bodies. The Huronton, in particular, was navigating Lake Superior during its time of operation in the early 20th century.
English shipwrecks, submerged for centuries off the coast, hold the secrets of history in the form of artefacts like cannons. However, organised looting poses a significant threat.
To counter this, Historic England and British specialist contractor MSDS Marine have embarked on a ground-breaking project involving underwater forensic tagging technology. This technology, developed over eight years, traces its roots to methods used to protect heritage assets on land. It is applied directly to the marine artefacts and wrecks by divers, and had been trialled on dives this summer.
The IJN Akagi, a Japanese aircraft carrier sunk during the pivotal Battle of Midway in World War II, has been surveyed underwater, offering a detailed look at the historic warship. The survey provides insights into the ship's condition and its final moments during the war.
According to a Facebook post, shipwreck enthusiasts and historians Brendon Baillod and Bob Jaeck located the schooner Trinidad earlier this year, submerged in 270 feet of water off Algoma.
The schooner, constructed in 1867 in New York, was a "canaller," specifically designed for navigating the Welland Canal connecting Lake Erie and Ontario. It primarily served the Great Lakes grain trade, shuttling coal and iron from New York and returning with Midwest grain.
A team of British divers have identified the wreck of the SS Express, a ship that sank off Orkney in 1918, resulting in the loss of 13 lives. The vessel, which had been a vital lifeline connecting Orkney to mainland Scotland, met its unfortunate end following a collision with another ship, the HMS Grenville.
