Marine archaeologists have found the wreck of a 16th-century freighter deep in the waters off the Riviera port of Saint-Tropez, more than 2.5 kilometers below the surface. It’s the deepest shipwreck ever found in French waters.
It was found by accident in March when unusual images showed up on cameras of an underwater drone working in the area, exploring and monitoring France’s deep-sea resources, including minerals and deep-sea internet cables. A deputy maritime prefect, Thierry de la Burgade, said “The sonar detected something quite big, so we went back with the device’s camera, then against with an underwater robot to snap high-quality images.”
Although more research is needed, it appears that the ship was carrying a cargo of ceramics and metal bars from Liguria in Italy. Among the items spotted were 200 jugs, 100 yellow plates, cauldrons, anchors and cannon—as well as a few signs of more recent life, including soda cans and yogurt containers.
Over the coming two years researchers plan to draw up a 3D digital version of the ship, as well as extract samples from the site to study. According to the Defense Ministry, which is in charge of exploring France’s deep seas, researchers will be able to remove items by guiding a submarine robot with pincers or arms, via a long cable linking the device to a boat on the surface.
