Polish Divers Discover 19th-Century Shipwreck Loaded With 100 Bottles Of Champagne In Baltic Sea

Polish divers from the Baltitech diving group discovered a 19th-century shipwreck 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of Sweden’s island of Öland.

The wreck, which was initially considered to be a fishing boat, was a sailing ship “loaded to the brim” with champagne, wine, mineral water, and porcelain.

When divers investigated the site, they discovered over 100 bottles of champagne, as well as cartons of mineral water.

Tomasz Stachura, Baltitech’s leader, expressed surprise, stating, that he has been a diver for 40 years and that encountering one or two bottles is common but he has never seen crates filled with bottles of alcohol and water like this before.

The clay water bottles, stamped with the German company Selters’ brand name, helped date the wreck to 1850-1867.

Selter water was highly valued in the nineteenth century, considered medicinal, and often found on royal tables.

Mr. Stachura believes the cargo may have been intended for Russian Tsar Nicholas I, who reputedly lost a ship in the area in 1852.

The wreck site, located 58 meters underwater in cold and dark conditions, is suitable for preserving such cargo.

Wine writer Henry Jeffreys observed that 19th-century champagne was sweeter and often contained brandy, which, together with sugar, would have improved preservation. Despite presumably losing its fizz, the champagne may still be drinkable.

For the time being, the treasure is still underwater, and underwater archaeologists and Swedish authorities have been notified for further inquiry.

Stachura added that the wreck had been lying there for 170 years, so let it lie there one more year so that careful planning is done before any retrieval attempts.

Baltitech’s finding was part of their continuous efforts to investigate shipwrecks in the Baltic, a region with an estimated 100,000 wrecks.

Divers Marek Cacaj and Paweł Truszyński discovered the wreck after a rapid dive that left them submerged for about two hours.

In a Facebook post, Stachura detailed the discovery, highlighting the large quantities of champagne and mineral water.

He mentioned the historical significance of Selters water, which was highly sought after and often police-escorted due to its value.

Reference: BBC, TOI

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Source: Maritime Shipping News