Shipwrecks

The most famous shipwreck in history is probably the Titanic, which lies on the seafloor in the North Atlantic Ocean. But shipwrecks are as old as sea voyages, and sunken ships have been found at the seafloor all over the world, from ancient Greek vessels in the Mediterranean to Civil War battle ships off the U.S. East Coast. Divers look for shipwrecks to salvage valuable artifacts and to learn more about past cultures. Read about the latest shipwreck discoveries and see pictures of sunken ships below.

Related Topics: Ocean, Archaeology

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detailed three-dimensional model showing the timbers of the hull of a ship

Quarry workers make 'unexpected' discovery of ship from Queen Elizabeth I's reign

By Tom Metcalfe published

Timbers from the hull of a 16th-century ship have been found in a flooded quarry in southeastern England.

Divers explored the wreck of the US F4U–4 Corsair fighter-bomber on Iriomote Jima in March 2019.

30 incredible sunken wrecks from WWI and WWII

By Tom Metcalfe published

A look at some of the most notable underwater wrecks from WWI and WWII.

This sonar image from the autonomous underwater vehicle shows the distinctive shape of the wooden frame of a clinker-built vessel.

Medieval shipwreck discovered in Norway during hunt for WWII ammunitions

By Tom Metcalfe published

What could be one of Norway's oldest shipwrecks has been found on the bottom of a lake near Oslo, during an effort to locate the tons of unexploded ammunition dumped there since World War II.

A diver from Sweden's Wreck Museum investigates the lower gun deck of Äpplet, a sister ship to the famous Vasa. Divers discovered Äpplet underwater near Stockholm.

Wreck of 17th-century warship discovered in Sweden

By Tom Metcalfe published

The wreck of a 17th-century Swedish warship — a sister ship of the famous Vasa, which sank only an hour into its maiden voyage in 1628 — has been discovered near Stockholm.

The wreck of the ship now lies on the floor of the North Sea off the coast of Belgium, at a depth of about 115 feet (35 m), as shown in this sonar image.

Nazi shipwreck is leaking toxic chemicals into the sea, 80 years after sinking

By Tom Metcalfe last updated

A Nazi shipwreck that sank in the North Sea in 1942 is still polluting the seafloor around it, but there are signs of sea life adapting to the wreck.

The wreck of SM U-111 lies on the seafloor about 40 miles off the coast of Virginia, at a depth of about 120 feet. It was rediscovered in July after being deliberately sunk over 100 years ago.

WWI German U-boat discovered off US coast 100 years after it sank

By Tom Metcalfe published

The wreck of a WWI German U-boat sunk by the U.S. Navy in 1922 has been discovered off the East Coast of the United States, about 40 miles off Virginia and at a depth of about 400 feet.

One of the archaeologists excavating the Gribshunden, led by Sweden's Lund University, explores some of the ship's timbers.

15th-century Baltic warship served as a 'floating castle' for an intrepid king

By Tom Metcalfe last updated

Archaeologists exploring the wreck of a 15th-century royal warship off the coast of Sweden have revealed how it functioned as a "floating castle."

A scuba diver in deep dark water inspecting a sunken vessel.

Rare 400-year-old ship found in German river is a stunningly preserved 'time capsule'

By Tom Metcalfe last updated

The ship didn't capsize, but "sank almost standing."

This massive marble head found by the latest excavations at the Antikythera wreck site is thought to represent the Greek demigod Heracles. Here we see a diver underwater examining a very worn marble sculpture head.

Head of Hercules and other treasures found on Roman 'Antikythera Mechanism' shipwreck

By Tom Metcalfe last updated

The wreck of a Roman treasure ship that sank near a Greek island more than 2,000 years ago with the famous Antikythera Mechanism on board is giving up new relics.

According to international law, the shipwreck and everything on it belong to Spain; but Colombia's government has declared that it owns the wreck and its treasure, which is estimated to be worth $17 billion.

$17 billion shipwreck near Colombia is remarkably preserved, new photos reveal

By Tom Metcalfe last updated

New images of one of the world’s most valuable shipwrecks off the coast of Colombia show its remarkable preservation, and two more historic shipwrecks in the same area.

The view of the ship in the excavation pit from the bow

Medieval cargo ship unexpectedly found during construction work in Estonia

By Emily Staniforth published

A ship, uncovered by construction workers near Tallinn's Old Harbor in Estonia, is a rare find that can shed light on medieval shipbuilding.

The interior of the Amber Room glistens in St. Petersburg, Russia.

30 of the world's most valuable treasures that are still missing

By Owen Jarus published

From the the Ark of the Covenant to the crown jewels of Ireland to a 333-carat pink diamond, here are 30 of the world's most valuable (and missing) treasures.

This image of the tryworks was taken from the shipwreck site of the whaler Industry by a NOAA ROV. The tryworks was a cast-iron stove with two deep kettles that were used to render whale blubber into oil.

19th-century whaling shipwreck identified in the Gulf of Mexico

By Mindy Weisberger last updated

Scientists have discovered the long-lost shipwreck of a whaling vessel that sank during a storm in 1836.

This squat lobster seems to be the star of the Endurance shipwreck.

Shackleton's Endurance shipwreck teeming with extreme creatures

By Tom Metcalfe last updated

The newly-found wreck of the Endurance was found to be inhabited by some equally extraordinary creatures.

The taffrail and ship’s wheel.

Shackleton's lost Endurance ship discovered beneath Antarctic sea

By Tom Metcalfe published

Ernest Shackleton's lost ice ship Endurance, which famously sank in 1915, has been rediscovered by searchers under Antarctica's Weddell Sea.

The ships were raised from the depths by an underwater volcano.

WWII 'ghost ships' rise from Pacific after volcanic eruption

By Ben Turner published

Experts predict that the island of Iwo Jima could be on the verge of eruption.

After 437 years on the sea bottom, about half of the Mary Rose's hull is now on display in Portsmouth in the U.K.

Henry VIII's favorite ship has a bacteria problem, and now scientists have ID'ed the culprits

By Mindy Weisberger published

Acid attacks from sulfur-producing bacteria could eat away at the preserved hull of a ship that was once the pride of King Henry VIII's armada, scientists recently discovered.

Divers on the latest archaeological expedition to the shipwreck of the Mentor, which sank in 1802 with valuable sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens on board.

Greek ship carrying parts of the Parthenon is giving up more secrets

By Tom Metcalfe published

Crates on board the shipwreck may hold the lost furnishings of the Amber Room, which was looted from a Russian palace by invading German soldiers in 1941.

Nazi wreck may hold looted treasures from Russian palace's 'Amber Room'

By Tom Metcalfe published

No lives were lost in the sinking of the USS Grenadier, but the crew were taken prisoners of war and suffered brutal tortures by the Japanese military.

Divers discover lost WWII submarine wreck off Southeast Asia

By Tom Metcalfe published

Divers in Southeast Asia have located the lost wreck of what's thought to be a U.S. Navy submarine that sank in 1943 after it was attacked by Japanese aircraft.