Local Diver Discovers 140-Year-Old Wreck of Steamship Nantes off Plymouth

A local diver has confirmed the discovery of the wreck of the steamship Nantes, a vessel that sank off the coast of England nearly 140 years ago following a tragic collision. 

The discovery was made by seasoned diver and explorer Dom Robinson on the seabed off Plymouth.

The Nantes met its fate in November 1888 when it collided with the German sailing ship Theodor Ruger. According to maritime history expert and Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Plymouth, Dr Harry Bennett, the crew of the Nantes spent several hours attempting to keep the vessel afloat immediately after the collision. 

Despite their efforts, the ship eventually sank, claiming the lives of over 23 sailors. Only three crew members managed to survive the disaster. Dr Bennett noted that the wreck’s remains - including fragments of the ship’s hull - were later found washed ashore along the coast of Cornwall.

The location of the Nantes had remained a mystery until recently, when a local dive team finally discovered the long-lost wreck. Robinson told the BBC that the identity of the wreck became apparent when he recovered “a broken piece of plate” featuring the Cunard Steamship crest. 

Further confirmation came during a subsequent dive when Robinson found a piece of crockery that solidified the vessel’s identity as Nantes, which was operated by the Cunard Steamship Company at the time of its sinking.

The discovery of the Nantes provides closure to a long-standing historical mystery, and is an important archaeological site for future studies. The combination of historical records and recent underwater evidence has opened a new chapter in understanding the nautical disasters of the past.

As investigations continue at the wreck site, historians and maritime archaeologists are optimistic that further exploration will uncover additional details about the ill-fated voyage of the Nantes and the circumstances surrounding its tragic end.

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