Shipwrecks UK News Item - 1st February 2008

Grounding of the SPINNINGDALE on 1st February 2008

The above dramatic photographs of the SPINNINGDALE being pounded by the waves against the cliffs of Village Bay, St Kilda -- taken by Alister MacDonald who has kindly made these available to us -- show how the sea is in the process of possibly claiming another casualty, amazingly without loss of life. The crew raised the alarm at 05:20, after the vessel had run aground and was being swamped, and all 14 were rescued by a Coastguard S.92 helicopter from Stornoway. A Sea King from RAF Lossiemouth was also involved, as was the Stornoway lifeboat; the CELTIC SEA fishing vessel provided communications. Three crew members, including two with hypothermia, were treated in Stornoway's A&E but discharged later.

The SPINNINGDALE (FD29) was registered in Fleetwood but is Spanish owned, operating from Galicia, and crewed by 11 Spanish and 3 Portuguese fishermen. The 117-ton vessel was built in Aberdeen in 1968 but re-equipped as a deep sea longliner, with shelter deck and refrigerated hold, in the 1980s.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 31st January 2008

Stranding of the RIVERDANCE on 31st January 2008

The Seatruck ferry RIVERDANCE ran aground on Anchorsholme beach, Cleveleys (just north of Blackpool) shortly before midnight on 31st January. A Mayday was broadcast at about 7:30pm after cargo shifted and the RIVERDANCE began to list. This reached 60° but was later eased to 35° while she continued to drift. A freak wave had hit the vessel while in the relatively shallow 'Shell Flat' sandbank area, known for difficult sea conditions, about 10 miles WSW of Fleetwood. Weather conditions across northern Britain were atrocious, with winds of at least storm force; waves were reported to be in excess of 7m at the incident site.

The 6,041ton, 116m RIVERDANCE was travelling from Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland to Heysham, Lancs, a journey that the ferry normally undertakes each day. This ro-ro ferry carries up to 55 vehicles or trailers and 12 passengers.

The four passengers were initially airlifted to safety while the 19 crew managed the situation in a manner that drew accolades from the rescue services in the treacherous conditions; it is understood that they were also attempting to restart the engines. Liverpool Coastguard coordinated the rescue and assistance was provided by: rescue helicopters from RAF Valley, RNAS Prestwick and Dublin Coastguard; RNLI lifeboats from Lytham and Fleetwood; offshore support vessels Clwyd Supporter and Highland Sprite; and the Steersman oil products tanker. Ten of the crew were also airlifted from the vessel before it grounded and the remaining nine were taken off later. There were no significant injuries.

Attempts will be made to refloat the vessel when the weather improves, and tugs are standing by, but the outcome is uncertain. There are about 100 tonnes of bunker fuel oil and 50 tons of gas oil still on the vessel.

Built in 1977 by Rickmers Werft - Bremerhaven - as the MASHALA, the RIVERDANCE (from 1996) has held 7 names. Registered in Nassau, Bahamas, her current owners are Seatruck Navigation.

Permission to use their photographs of RIVERDANCE was kindly given by the Blackpool Gazette (top), who are continually updating their information - including video, and www.irishseashipping.com / J.H. Luxton.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 15th January 2008

Loss of the ICE PRINCE on 15th January 2008

The sinking of the ICE PRINCE in the early hours of 15th January 2008 was a dramatic process involving a particularly difficult rescue and the spilling of most of her deck cargo during the course of the 54 hours following her Mayday call at 19:00 on 13th January. At this time she was about 35 miles SE of Start Point (at 49:52.5N 003:12.7W) and rolling heavily, with neither main engine nor auxiliary power.

The crew of 20 -- of Greek, Filipino, Romanian and Lithuanian nationality -- were taken off just before midnight on Sunday, 13th January after her cargo shifted and she began to list 40° to port. The ship was plunged into darkness. Twelve of the crew, including one reported to have a broken leg were taken off by the Portland-based Coastguard SAR Sikorsky helicopter `India Juliet`. The remaining 8 were taken off by RNLI lifeboats from Torbay and Salcombe, in an operation that took place with the 2 vessels alongside in force 8 winds and 5m swells.

RN frigate HMS Cumberland offered assistance and the tugs Abeille Liberte and Anglian Earl stood by. A plan to take the vessel in tow was abandoned as the weather worsened and conditions prevented Dutch salvage experts, who had been flown to the ICE PRINCE by helicopter, from being landed.

The ICE PRINCE sank at 12:45am, 26 miles SSE of Portland Bill after the list increased still further and she capsized. She was carrying 313 tonnes of fuel oil. The bow initially remained above the water, with the stern on the seabed (at about 55m depth), but this situation lasted only a few hours before she sank fully. The cargo of 5,258 tons of sawn timber was en route from Sweden (Iggesund and Umea) to Egypt (Alexandria). Two-fifths of this was deck cargo, much of which has been distributed over a wide area of the central and western English channel and is being mapped by the MCGA. It has formed a `slick` of 10m planks, and the bundles are breaking up. The ICE PRINCE experienced a similar shift of her timber deck cargo in the Baltic on 22nd January 2004, resulting in a 30° list on that occasion before the situation was stabilised. Timber is regarded as a difficult deck cargo in this respect as a result of changes when it becomes wet, progressively escalating the problem.

The photographs were kindly provided by Ralf Bandholz (above) and Klaus Masuch (below).

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 11th January 2008

Loss of the Scottish fishing vessel FISHER BOYS on 11th January 2008

The FISHER BOYS fishing vessel from Gardenstown, Banff, sank at 11:08 on 11th January 2008 about 40 miles from Fraserburgh after the vessel began to take on water.

All 5 crew had been transferred to a support vessel before the sinking; 2 had stayed on board with pumping equipment until it was clear that there was no hope of saving the vessel.

Permission to use the image of his painting of the FISHER BOYS, left, was kindly provided by marine painter, Robert Andrew

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 7th January 2008

Loss of the French fishing vessel LA P'TITE JULIE on 7th January 2008

A French fishing vessel appears to have foundered in heavy seas, with loss of life, between Cornwall and Britanny during the early hours of 7th January 2008. Reports suggest that she sank in only 5 minutes. The LA P'TITE JULIE sank 50 miles SSE of the Lizard and 34 miles north of île Vierge at about 49:10.6N, 04:30W. Conditions were severe, with winds of gale force 9 gale and swells of up to 5 metres. One of the 7 man crew -- David Dourado-Marques -- was found and airlifted to safety, suffering from hypothermia and shock, after prolonged immersion (he had reportedly been clinging to a buoy for 3 hours).

The search and rescue operation, coordinated by CROSS at Plouarzel, Brittany, involved aircraft and helicopters from France and the UK (including 2 Sea Kings from RNAS Culdrose) as well as commercial and naval vessels. The search area covered more than 20 square miles. The searchers found 2 empty liferafts and wreckage and, regrettably, two bodies. The French investigation will include examination of the hull, at about 80m depth, and will look for signs of possible collision.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 2nd January 2008

Stranding of the LT CORTESIA on Varne Bank -- Successfully (and crucially) refloated on the afternoon high tide with the assistance of 3 tugs

The 334 metre Lloyd Triestino Cortesia became stranded on the Varne Bank, about 9 miles south of Dover, about an hour prior to the 6am high water on 2nd January. She was en route from Thames Port (London) to Suez, with a crew of 27; none were injured by the stranding and the vessel appeared to have remained watertight even after the critical low water that would have imposed major stresses.

Equipped to carry more than 8,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container units) her total deadweight is about 100,000 tons, including a cargo of nearly 43,000 tons, and her draught is 14.5m. In June 2005 she was the largest vessel to enter Thames Port.

She was built by Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy industries of South Korea and completed in 2005.

The operators of the vessel, Lloyd Triestino, are part of the Taipei (Taiwan) based Evergreen Marine Corporation. The vessel's port of registry is Hamburg, Germany.

Two or three vessels of more than 10,000 TEU capacity pass through the Dover Straits each week. The 397 metres / 160,000 GRT Emma Maersk, then the world's largest container ship with a declared capacity of 11,000 TEU, docked at the Port of Felixstowe in November 2006.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 19th December 2007

Capsize of the FLYING PHANTOM tug at Clydebank

The FLYING PHANTOM tug capsized in the Clyde at about 6pm on 19th December, in dense freezing fog. The FLYING PHANTOM was one of three Svitzer tugs which had been towing the 39,000 tonne Panamanian bulk carrier RED JASMINE. Radio contact with the tug was lost and no mayday message was sent. The bulk carrier docked safely, at the King George V dock. The accident happened near the mouth of the River Cart, opposite the massive Titan crane of the former John Brown shipyard.

One of the four crew members managed to swim from the vessel after the capsize and was rescued as a result of very prompt action by a local workboat operator. Intensive searching involved all the rescue agencies and more than 60 people, including police divers operating in very difficult conditions. Sadly there were no other survivors and the bodies of the other three, including skipper Stephen Humphreys, were later recovered.

The FLYING PHANTOM is owned by Svitzer Marine Ltd, a subsidiary of SvitzerWijsmuller A/S of Denmark. A 347 GRT vessel, she was built in 1981 by Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow and was well-equipped for towing and firefighting. She was the last Clyde-built tug to be operating locally. Accounts suggest that the tug capsized after striking a sandbank while engaged in the tow and that there was no impact with the RED JASMINE, one of the largest vessels to proceed this far up the Clyde for more than a decade.

The FLYING PHANTOM, which was maintained to very high standards, had been involved in a collision nearly seven years earlier, on 29th December 2000, with the Egyptian ship ABU EGILA which she was also towing to Glasgow's King George V dock. The tug was for a while aground, very close to the 2007 capsize position, after taking in water. The last incident involving the sinking of a tug and fatalities as a result of a towing accident was on 23rd May 1962 when the FORAGER was pulled over by the towline while she was helping the HORORATA to dock in Glasgow and two crew members died.

The above image of the FLYING PHANTOM was kindly provided by John Newth of ClydeSights.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 10th December 2007

Wind turbines and shipwrecks

The recent announcement that up to 7,000 new wind turbines could be erected around the UK coast by 2020 has significant implications for shipwrecks.

• One important consideration is nautical archaeology. The Government will wish to ensure that offshore wind farm sites are chosen which do not compromise our heritage, and shipwreck analysis will form an important part of the Environmental Impact Assessments. Detailed surveys will yield important new information, building on available knowledge. There are many other reasons why shipwrecks must be fully considered, including the recognition that most are also associated with tragedy.
• Concerns have been expressed that the turbines can pose a risk to shipping and could eventually cause new wrecks. A special one-day meeting of the House of Commons Transport Committee in April 2004 heard evidence regarding risks to commercial ships and their crews. The impact of wind turbines on ships' radar and communications is being studied to assess the extent to which this could contribute to collision risk. Collisions have been one of the major causes of shipwrecks, with more than 4,300 vessels lost from this cause alone in the seas surrounding Britain and Ireland; the JORK (see below) provides one example from 4th August 2007.

Shipwrecks UK Ltd stands ready to provide information for the EIAs, initial assessments and other related enquiries. Information to support sensitivity of sites, context and details of individual ships is available immediately. We can also show causes and densities of shipwrecks anywhere within the Shipwrecks UK area. The Shipwrecks UK resource is already a major asset in rapidly highlighting the significance of potential sites.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 11th November 2007

An illustration for Remembrance Sunday

The map below shows a few of the ships sunk from just one cause - mines - and in just one area: the Thames Estuary. A small but chilling reminder of the wartime toll of seamen in the seas around Britain and Ireland. In an area less than 100 by 40 miles, sea mines accounted for more than 200 ship losses. In the seas around Britain and Ireland as a whole, ship losses from mines totalled nearly 1,100 - from more than 20 countries - and with the loss of more than 5,000 lives.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - October 2007

Tercentenary commemorations of the 1707 disaster that befell Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell's Fleet

These important events and their significance for the development of the first practical marine chronometer by John Harrison were commemorated in the Isles of Scilly and elsewhere (including Westminster Abbey).

The 22nd of October 2007 marked the 300th anniversary of the loss of ASSOCIATION, EAGLE, ROMNEY and FIREBRAND after striking the Western Rocks, with a total loss of life of more than 1,400. Shipwrecks UK Chairman Richard Larn was one of the principal organisers for the Isles of Scilly Commemoration and one of the five speakers, who also included distinguished guests:

• Dava Sobel, celebrated author of 'Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time' (and many other books and publications);
• Dr John Taylor, horologist and Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers;
• Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS, 14th Astronomer Royal and recipient (as is Dava Sobel) of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers' Harrison Medal; and
• Dr Simon Harris, author of 'Sir Cloudesely Shovell, Stuart Admiral'.

Click on the images of any of the five speakers (above) to see more photographs by Shipwrecks UK taken during the Isles of Scilly commemorations (including some of more general appeal).

Sir Arnold Wolfendale and Dava Sobel also kindly provided Reviewers' Comments after they had seen the Shipwrecks UK resource in action.

The following screen images are examples from the Shipwrecks UK resource for HMS ASSOCIATION:

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 8th August 2007

MV Jork - Collision with Viking Echo Gas Platform in the North Sea

The general cargo vessel MV JORK struck the ConocoPhillips Viking Echo gas platform on Saturday, 4th August and sank the following day. The platform, which was unmanned, suffered very slight damage. There is a 500 metre exclusion zone around such rigs. The incident took place 40 miles north-east of Cromer, Norfolk.

As a result of the impact, and resulting 30 degree list, water was able to reach the cargo of grain which swelled and burst the hull. The six Polish crew members, wearing lifejackets, jumped into the sea and were recovered by the Putford Puffin, one of two standby vessels which steamed to the scene. The Polish Captain continued efforts to save the ship before also abandoning ship when it began to sink. He later appeared before Boston Magistrates Court on a charge of being drunk in charge of a sea vessel under Section 78 of the Railway and Transport Safety Act of 2004.

A rescue helicopter from B Flight, 22 Squadron at RAF Wattisham was also scrambled to assist. The crew members of the Jork were later assisted by the Mission to Seafarers in Great Yarmouth. The wreck lies at a depth of about 25m, approximately 500 metres from the Viking Echo platform.

The MV Jork was built at the same shipbuilding yard (J J Sietas in Hamburg-Neuenfelde) as the MV Cita which sank ten years ago (as mentioned in the 'Anniversaries' 23rd July 2007 News Item below). A further four ships from this shipbuilder are wrecked within the sea areas covered by the Shipwrecks UK System.

The overview map above (a cropped part of a screen image) shows an example of the `big picture` within Shipwrecks UK. Zooming into areas shows considerably more coastal and wreck distribution information. Colour-coded cells highlight concentrations of wrecks. In the following example, centred on New Holland - the destination for the MV Jork - the system shows the positions of known wrecks (and not those with more indefinite locations that are assigned to `named areas`):

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 23rd July 2007

Isles of Scilly Shipwreck Anniversaries in 2007

This year the Isles of Scilly commemorate five shipwreck anniversaries. This small group of islands stuck out in the Atlantic, 24 miles due west of Land's End, is notorious for shipwrecks, having witnessed over 900 named losses and countless others which went unrecorded, lost at night or in fog.

Sir Clowdisley Shovell and his flagship Association, along with three other Royal Navy men o'war and at least 1,450 men, were lost 300 years ago on 22nd October 1707. 2007 is also the 40th anniversary of the relocation of three of those ships by Royal Navy divers on 4th July 1967; the wreck site of the 4th of these ships, HMS Romney, has not yet been positively identified. Further information about the Tercentenary commemorations, taking place in the Isles of Scilly between July and October this year, can be reviewed by clicking HERE.

The next oldest wreck commemoration is the Thomas W. Lawson, the worlds largest and only seven-masted schooner, lost on 14th December 1907, 100 years ago this year. On passage from Philadelphia to London on its first transatlantic crossing, carrying 2¼ million gallons of light oil, she passed the Bishop Rock light on the wrong side, found herself in Broad Sound, and was wrecked on Minmanueth Rocks, near the island of Annet, where she capsized. Fifteen of her eighteen-man crew drowned, along with Billy Hicks, a local pilot.

Ironically, the Thomas W. Lawson which could be labelled the first 'tanker' oil spill in this country, was only upstaged by the wreck of the super-tanker Torrey Canyon, on 18th March 1967, 40 years ago. On her way from the Persian Gulf to Milford Haven carrying 120,000-tons of crude oil - of which 20 to 25,000-tons were released into the open sea around the Seven Stones reef. She struck the reef's Pollard Rock, only seven miles from the Isles of Scilly. From the outset it was obvious this was an unprecedented international disaster and the first major oil spill in Europe, so there was no experience on how best to deal with it. She broke in two on 26th April causing the release of even more oil, and Government took the decision to set her on fire. After Trinity House towed the Seven Stones lightship well clear, eight Royal Navy Buccaneer aircraft dropped 40 armour piercing bombs on her, of which only 30 actually hit the wreck. Twenty-six RAF Hunter aircraft followed dropping 5,400 gallons of kerosene to fuel the fires started, then 3,000 gallons of napalm and 16 HE rockets. A total of 161 - 1,000 pound bombs blasted the ship, burning the remaining oil she held, but the cost financially and ecologically was disastrous.

The wreck of the mv Cita, on 26 March 1997, just 10 years ago, was a precursor to the mv Napoli, container ship, beached and eventually cut in two off Branscombe in Devon in 2007. The Cita was a small 3,083-tonnes gross feeder ship, designed to carry only 128 containers, the vessel belonging to a consortium of German dentists who called themselves the Martin Shipping Co. Ltd. She was making her way from London to Belfast when, off Land's End and alone on watch, her Polish Mate fell asleep on the bridge. With the vessel on automatic pilot, and her radar alarm switched off, she ploughed straight into the Isles of Scilly at 14 knots. She struck close to Newfoundland Point, Porth Hellick, sinking almost on top of the ss Lady Charlotte wreck, which had gone down in 1917. This was Scillies 'Whisky Galore' wreck, the contents being eventually released to the islands as long as they were declared.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 10th July 2007

MSC Napoli refloated after nearly six months and a £50m bill

There was a great sigh of relief from the residents of the tiny south Devon coastal village of Branscombe on Monday 9th July 2007, when it was announced that the salvors of this 62,000-tonne container ship would start pumping her out that night, and hoped to have her afloat within 24 hours. Later that day the ship was able to be towed into deeper water where, after anchoring, it could be inspected by divers. It had been estimated that her hull contained 58,000-tonnes of water, and 37 special pumps worked constantly to get her afloat.

It was also an important step in removing the threat to the marine environment, since there were fears she might be so badly damaged that she became a total wreck. This would have delighted sport divers, but left the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) with a serious navigational hazard, since she was awash only to her upper deck. What will happen to her now has yet to be decided; either she will be towed to a dockyard and scrapped, taken way out into the Atlantic and sunk in deep water - as have many other wrecks before, or sunk in a suitable location, if such a place can be found, as an artificial reef attracting fish, marine life and divers.

A chronology of this stranding and subsequent events are as follows:

19th January 2007 - During a Channel gale when south of the Lizard, all 26 crew were air-lifted off by SAR helicopters when cracks appeared in the ship's hull and it was feared she would sink.

20th January - Under tow of tugs the Napoli was deliberately run aground in Branscombe Bay, south Devon. It was feared that she would break up if towed to the more exposed but more immediately accessible north coast of France.

Of the 2,315 cargo containers she carried, 103 washed off into the sea, 47 going ashore on the beach at Branscombe.

21st January - A frenzy of 'looting' commenced, as BMW motorcycles, nappies, sun tan lotion and general cargo washed out of containers, resembling scenes from Scotland's 'Whisky Galore'.

22nd January - A five-mile long oil slick developed offshore as some of her 3,500-tonnes of fuel oil leaked from her tanks. Sea birds were seriously affected, hundreds appeared covered in oil. A pumping operation commenced to remove the fuel on board which was successful.

28th January - A Dutch salvage company moored 'Big Foot', a massive salvage barge and crane, alongside. Unloading of deck containers began and these were transported to Portland, Dorset. Initially it took five days to unload 80 containers.

4th February - Last of the remaining oil on board pumped out.

15th February - Still only 342 containers lifted off, due to bad weather. Call for all recovered items to be declared to the Receiver of Wreck, with a fine up to £2,500 for failing to do so.

28th February - 1,000 birds released into the wild after treatment to remove oil.

7th March - Police seize two BMW motorcycles found near Axminster, 17 bikes having been taken from containers washed ashore, only 13 of which were declared to the Receiver.

9th May - Dozens of bottles of vodka stolen from a container held in store at Portland. People warned not to drink it since it might be contaminated by hazardous chemicals in the cargo, but people drank it anyway!

17th May - Last container from the main hold of the Napoli recovered.

24th May - A lady from Sweden, Mrs Anita Bokdal, who saw her personal household effects and belongings being looted from Branscombe beach on television news, made an appeal for her belongings to be returned. Some 2% were, but the majority were retained by the unofficial salvors.

8th July - The MCA and salvage company make decision to refloat the ship by pumping out the sea inside her hull, after sealing all the hatches and access points

Late on 9th July - Wreck completely afloat and now at anchor, after successful pumping operation, moored some 2 miles offshore, awaiting a disposal decision following an underwater inspection by a team made up of 20 commercial divers, who will have been looking at hull damage, and the repairs carried out earlier to crack in her hull plating.

Shipwrecks UK News Item - 20th May 2007

Merchant Royal, lost 23rd September 1641

The hot news is that of Odyssey Marine Exploration's recovery of an enormously valuable cargo of coins, worked gold, jewels and other artefacts from a shipwreck that is certainly the long-sought Merchant Royal.

Sad News From The Sea

In late September 1641, during the reign of Charles 1, the proceedings of Parliament were interrupted by the Secretary of State with an announcement that was both unusual and unprecedented, concerning a seemingly mundane shipwreck.

But this was no ordinary wreck. The only printed document recording this unusual occurrence, which survives in the British Library, says it all: its heading reads 'Sad News from the Sea'.

The ship in question, the Merchant Royal, has become the 'Eldorado of the Seas' (Daily Telegraph, 19.05.2007, p1 & 3), literally the most valuable and wealthy vessel to be lost around the British Isles, and the dream find of every diver and salvage company in the world for centuries. This 700 ton vessel was owned by British merchants and based at San Domingo where she traded with the Spanish colonies until 1637 when she sailed to Cadiz where she was laid up and then repaired. She had been built at Deptford, London in 1627. She

What made this particular vessel so attractive was her cargo which, in that obscure Parliamentary paper, was stated to be, '£300,000 in silver, £100,000 in gold and as much again in jewel(s)', and this was a valuation of 1641, three hundred and sixty six years ago. That amount of base metal which would be carried in the form of specie (coins) and bullion (bars) would today alone be worth many millions, leaving aside the gem stones described as 'jewel', ie: diamonds, emeralds, turquoise, rubies, jade etc. A practical yardstick to estimate the current value of historic money is to relate it to the cost of a pint of beer. In 1641 beer was roughly 1 penny a pint, and 240 pence = £1. Today a pint costs roughly £2.50 or 250p, which makes the silver carried worth £300,000 x 250 = £75m, the £100,000 in gold £25m, or £100m in total, plus the value of the jewel(s).

So when Greg Stemm, Director and Project Manager of Odyssey Marine Exploration of Tampa, Florida, who located and salvaged the treasure, estimated the worth of the 17 tonnes of salvaged material to be £250m, the reality of the find becomes clear.

In addition to treasure considerations, the ship was armed with 36 bronze cannon, which with this degree of provenance would be worth around £25,000 each, adding a further £1m to the total.

The estimates do not take into account the additional numismatic, archaeological and historic value of the coins, bars and artefacts recovered.

Some details of the loss of the Merchant Royal are obscure but what is known is that she was a Dartmouth-registered ship, under Captain John Timbry, which happened to be in the Azores in 1641 when a Spanish 'Plate Fleet' treasure ship from the Americas came in on fire. The fire was extinguished and the treasure transferred to the Merchant Royal, but at this point the background is unclear, since one source says she was to land the cargo at Amsterdam, another says Dartmouth, whilst a third says she called in at Dunkirk due to bad weather. Spain no longer controlled the Netherlands, so trade with Amsterdam was a possibility, whilst Dartmouth was the ship's home port. As far as we know, history does not reveal whether the treasure was now under the control of Spanish or English masters and this will be highly significant when it comes to the question of ownership of the cargo today.

The Merchant Royal was blown by gales down Channel where, leaking badly, she was abandoned 'ten leagues from Land's End' (ie. roughly 30 miles). Her 80 crew and passengers were transferred to another vessel in company, only two sailors being lost: these had gone below to loot some treasure and went down in the wreck.

Odyssey Marine Exploration, operating two vessels out of Falmouth, have been searching Mount's Bay and the Western Approaches to the Channel for two years, locating thousands of potential targets which were categorised as modern iron or steel ships, rocks and reefs or simply interesting 'lumps' on the seabed. The latter were then systematically examined by ROV which led to this fantastic discovery, believed to lie some 40 miles SW of Land's End, in 330ft (100m) depth, 22 miles S of the Isles of Scilly. Importantly, the location is in international waters, allowing the salvors to take their recoveries straight to the USA. How much of the treasure Odyssey and its shareholders will be able to retain depends on whether Spain or Britain claim it as their property.

Odyssey is a highly professional, if controversial, organisation, which has attracted a great deal of media attention and speculation. It was previously successful in several similar treasure hunts, including the ss Republic off Savannah, Georgia, which took 12 years to locate and made a return to the company of $9.6m. The company has an agreement with Britain and Spain to recover the nine tons of gold carried on board HMS Sussex, off Gibraltar and, with their track record, are likely to be successful.

Also in the news is the Elizabethan wreck off Alderney, where the archaeological team are hoping for a conservation effort along the lines of the Mary Rose. A protected wreck, but not yet formally identified, she sank about 50 years prior to the Merchant Royal. More information is available from the project's website at http://www.alderneywreck.com