USA: An unusual wreck has been discovered off the coast of North Carolina

During a research expedition, a group of scientists scanning the bottom using sonar came across the wreck of a previously unknown vessel. After conducting more detailed research and picking up several artefacts from the bottom, the researchers believe it dates back to the late 17th century.

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The entire expedition is conducted before the staff and under the banner of three prestigious American universities: Duke Univerity, North Carolina State University and the University of Oregon. The researchers have at their disposal the Atlantis unit, which belongs to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

The AUV-type robot which Atlantis is equipped with was the first device which managed to record a previously unknown wreck. It all took place during an attempt to find the mooring elements recorded during the expedition in 2012, which were located just 100 metres from the wreck!

Among the objects found at the site are an iron chain, wooden parts of the ship’s structure, red bricks (probably from a kitchen cooker), glass bottles, pottery vessels, a metal compass and another navigational device, most likely a sextant or octant.

According to the findings so far, the wreck dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century, in fact almost to the very beginnings of the young country that is the USA.

“This is a very exciting find and a reminder that, despite ongoing technological advances, the ocean still holds many secrets.” – Cindy Van Dover, director of Duke University Marine Laboratory, who led the expedition, said.

Information about the discovery of the wreck was passed on to NOAA. Now it is this organisation which, as part of the Marine Heritage Program, will continue to investigate the find. Hopefully, through further research, it will be possible to determine which vessel we are dealing with and one day we will know its history.

Source: duke.edu