Shipwreck remains belonging to the 17th-century Swedish navy, submerged 400 years ago, have begun to reappear in Stockholm, Sweden, due to an unusually low water level in the Baltic Sea. This is another ancient ship discovered in the country's waters.
The well-preserved wooden hull of the ship began to appear above the water surface near the island of Kastellholmen since early February, creating a clear impression of its skeleton, Redaksiya reports. "We are facing the remains of a ship deliberately sunk by the Swedish navy here," marine archaeologist Jim Hansson of the Stockholm Wrak - Shipwreck Museum told AFP.
According to Hansson, experts believe that after serving in the navy, the ship was sunk around 1640 to be used as the foundation for a new bridge leading to Kastellholmen island. Archaeologists have not yet been able to determine the exact name of the ship, as it is one of five similar wrecks lined up to create the bridge in the same area, all dating back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Hansson added, "Instead of using new wood, it was a solution to use the hull, which itself is oak, to build the bridge." Standing in front of the remains, he stated, "There are no shipworms that eat wood in the Baltic Sea, so, as you can see, it lasts for 400 years."
According to the archaeologist, some parts of the ship had already surfaced in 2013, but they had never been as visible as they are now, with the Baltic Sea's waters at their lowest level in about 100 years. Hansson explained, "We have had high pressure in our Nordic countries for a long time. Thus, water from the Baltic Sea was pushed towards the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean." A research program called "The Lost Navy" is underway to identify and accurately date the numerous Swedish navy shipwrecks at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Several wrecks and artifacts have been found in the region in recent years. In April 2024, researchers investigating an ancient shipwreck off the Swedish coast discovered artifacts dating back centuries, including a weapons chest and pieces of armor. In July 2024, a group of divers found a large quantity of champagne and wine in a shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic Sea off the Swedish coast. The valuable cargo was subsequently banned by the government. In October 2022, Swedish marine archaeologists discovered the long-lost sister ship of the famous 17th-century warship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage. The Vasa has been on display in Stockholm since the 1960s after being raised from the ocean floor.