Wreckage Of 800-ton Ship Found After Its Deadly Sinking Well Over A Century Ago: 'significant Discovery'

Archaeologists are assured they person recovered nan wreckage of an 800-ton Dutch merchant vessel that sunk disconnected nan coast of Australia 168 years ago. 

The Koning Willem de Tweede was mislaid adjacent Robe, Australia, successful June 1857, sidesplitting 16 of its 25 unit members. 

The "significant discovery" was announced this week by nan Australian National Maritime Museum and nan SilentWorld Foundation aft a four-year search. 

The find "connects america to stories of waste and acquisition and migration, having discharged complete 400 Chinese miners conscionable days earlier its sinking," nan depository said successful a station connected societal media astir nan discovery. 

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER CENTURIES-OLD SHIPWRECK BENEATH ANCIENT CITY: ‘UNIQUE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE’

A coating of nan Koning Willem de Tweede, an 800-ton Dutch merchant vessel that sunk disconnected nan seashore of Australia 168 years ago.  (Australian National Maritime Museum)

James Hunter, acting head of maritime archeology astatine nan Australian National Maritime Museum, told nan Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) Wednesday that archaeologists had uncovered respective components of nan ship, including its windlass, a instrumentality that raises and lowers instrumentality to nan vessel sticking retired of nan seabed. 

"We looked astatine things for illustration nan extent of nan vessel — nan draught — and we've looked astatine nan h2o extent it's sitting in, and that each seems to statement up really well," he told ABC of nan assurance they had recovered its last resting place. 

He added that researchers besides recovered a "magnetic anomaly" that is nan aforesaid magnitude arsenic nan 140-foot ship. 

The depository said nan find was a collaboration pinch nan Silentworld Foundation, a nonprofit that supports underwater archeology, and, South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water and Flinders University.

A constituent of nan vessel was recovered connected nan oversea floor.  (Australian National Maritime Museum)

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"This important discovery, supported by nan Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and nan Cultural Heritage Agency of nan Netherlands, marks nan culmination of dedicated investigation since 2022," nan depository said connected Facebook Tuesday. "Future monitoring visits are planned to further measure nan tract and uncover much of this important portion of maritime history." 

"When nan upwind has been benignant enough, they person carried retired study activity searching for nan wreck," SilentWorld said connected Facebook Wednesday. "The latest sojourn to Robe, successful relation pinch nan squad listed above, led to nan probable recognition of nan shipwreck. The visibility was challenging, but still capable for nan squad to make this unthinkable call!"

A diver exploring nan wreck of nan Koning Willem de Tweede.  (Australian National Maritime Museum)

Hunter told ABC nan vessel whitethorn person tally aground connected nan seabed and was buried by sand. 

The squad thought it had recovered nan wreck 3 years ago, but Hunter said nan soil made visibility difficult. 

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"It takes thing to operation nan soil up, and it benignant of sits successful suspension almost for illustration you're successful a blizzard underwater," he said.