THE ASIAN ANTIQUITIES VESSEL

In the late 1800s, a severe storm caused a steel-hulled ship to founder and embed in a shoreline. The vessel’s cargo included hundreds of crates of Asian antiquities and ceramics. Local people quickly looted what they could of the collectibles that had not yet submerged, some of which can be seen today in nearby homes and a few inland antique shops. Most of the cargo still lies entombed within the hull, which rapidly sank into the sandy beach.

A straightforward shallow water engineering operation can be organised. Commercial divers and ROVs will expose and reinforce the hull in stages, suction-dredge the accumulated sand, enter the holds, and remove the remaining cargo (coveted by collectors today). Alternatively, a cofferdam can be built to enable a far safer terrestrial excavation.

Very good subject for a documentary film, and an episode in the AR series.