Sunken Pirate Ship Found

Arrr! It’s hard to believe, but the wreckage of pirate ships still lurks beneath shallow water just waiting for someone to discover it.

The Quedagh Merchant, a pirate ship once used by Captain Kidd and his crew, is believed to have been found near the coast of the Dominican Republic’s Catalina Island. Cannons and anchors, scattered beneath 10 feet of the Caribbean Sea, were first seen by a local man. He reported it to the government, which then invited Indiana University researchers to explore the wreckage.

Captain Kidd pirated in the late 1600’s. He captured the Quedagh Merchant in 1699 in the Indian Ocean, but Kidd intentionally sunk the ship en route to New York City where he hoped to clear his name of criminal charges. He failed to do so, and Kidd was hanged in 1701 in London.

Treasure hunters have aggressively pursued this wreck, which makes it extraordinary that it has been lost in shallow water for more than 300 years. The Dominican Republic hopes to turn the wreckage into an underwater preserve.

Click here to see pictures and read more about this discovery.