sports
Divers Accidentally Find Legendary Pirate Ship at 1,000 Meters Depth: It Terrorized Europe for Centuries
In the Mediterranean Sea, at a depth of about 1,000 meters, the cameras of a remotely operated vehicle spotted something strange, something that did not belong on the seabed. Four iron cannons lay in formation. Nearby was a telescope. Scattered across the sediment were pots, bottles, and dishes from three different continents...
TL;DR
- A remotely operated vehicle discovered an Algerian pirate ship at a depth of 1,000 meters in the Mediterranean Sea.
- The ship is a 13-meter-long tartane, identified as a pirate vessel from around 1760.
- It was armed with four large cannons, ten swivel guns, and muskets.
- Artifacts found on board included glass bottles from Belgium or Germany, tea bowls from Ottoman Turkey, and European telescope.
- Pottery produced in Algiers, matching ceramics found at the site, suggests the crew used everyday North African wares to disguise their ship.
- The vessel likely sank during a storm while en route to Spanish settlements for plunder and capture.
- The discovery provides insights into the tactics and reach of Barbary corsairs, who threatened European coastal populations and trade.
- The extreme depth preserved the lower third of the hull, while upper sections were likely consumed by marine organisms.