Wreck with cargo of closed bottles discovered in Baltic Sea - video

There has been an interesting discovery in recent days. Divers from the Baltic Underwater Explorers group have discovered a hitherto unknown wreck. The wooden vessel probably dates back to the 19th century. However, so far it has not been possible to establish where it sailed from and to where, or what is in the bottles that were carried in the holds.

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The discovery was made by accident in the southern part of the Åland Islands. BUE diver Jerry Wilhelmsson was searching for the wreck of an entirely different vessel, when a never-explored and unknown wreck appeared before his eyes. The find measures 27 metres in length, has anchors, a figurehead on the bow and a hold full of… sealed bottles.

Divers have now been given permission to take several bottles for further study. All in the hope that their contents will allow them to establish from where, and in what direction, the mysterious ship may have been heading.

“This is quite a unique situation. It is rare to find – at a relatively shallow depth – a wreck in such good condition, with its cargo intact. Of course, it’s the bottles and their contents that are causing the most excitement right now, but the whole wreck is worthy of attention. It is a small, well-preserved vessel, adorned with an unusual statue on the bow. As far asI am concerned, it is the ship itself and its history that is the most intriguing part of this discovery,” Magnus Melin of Baltic Underwater Explorers told Sweden’s The Local.

The easiest way to gain further information about the wreck is to open a few of the hundreds of bottles that make up the cargo. Analysis of the liquid can tell us a lot about the origin of both the mysterious bottles and the ship itself.

“We have contacted the local authorities and together we have prepared a plan for the next steps. Some of the bottles will be excavated and analysed. At the moment we do not know what will happen next. We, for sure, will want to further investigate the wreck in a non-invasive way, so as to prepare its most accurate documentation possible and, with any luck, identify it.” – Melin added.

BUE – Baltic Underwater Explorers is a non-profit organisation of divers from Åland, located near the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia. Over the years they have participated in the search and exploration of many sunken wrecks in the Baltic Sea area.

Source: TheLocal.se, Foto Jerry Wilhelmsson – Baltic Underwater Explorers