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Special Report
As long as there have been ships there have been shipwrecks, and people have endeavored to find them, seeking treasure, artifacts, and historical insight into long-gone worlds. Since oceanography and maritime archeologist Robert Ballard discovered the most famous shipwreck of all – the Titanic – in 1985, the quest for maritime wrecks has exploded. (Here are 29 shipwrecks found since the discovery of the Titanic.)
24/7 Tempo put together a list of notable shipwrecks that were found in 2022, drawing on sources including Live Science, Guinness World Records, Science X, Science Daily, CNN, ABC Newsand the New York Post. Some of the discoveries on the list build on previous finds of a wreck, such as the recovery of a mast. Others are rediscoveries of wrecks that were lost and have reappeared.
Maritime archeologists and explorers have been making more shipwreck discoveries lately for several reasons: Records around the world have been digitized, making them more easily accessible; explorers have better tools for searches, such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remote operated vehicles (ROVs), allowing them to probe almost any ocean depth and to cover a wider area than had previously been practical; and the effects of climate change have lowered water levels in lakes and rivers, potentially exposing more remains.
For instance, a merchant vessel from the early 19th century that ran aground on Daytona Beach was exposed by the wind and waves of hurricanes Ian and Nicole. A drop in the level of the Mississippi River revealed a ferry boat that sank in 1915.
Click here to see 16 shipwrecks found in 2022
All shipwrecks have some historical significance, and the finds in 2022 were no exception. Among the discoveries were the British warship Gloucester that was carrying James Stuart, the future king of England. The sidewheel steamship the SS Pacific, which sank in 1875 and taking more than 300 people to their death, was found 23 miles off the Washington coast. The USS Destroyer Escort Samuel B. Robertssunk by the Japanese navy during World War II, was found at a depth of 22,523 feet – the deepest shipwreck ever discovered. (Here, on the other hand, are 20 warships that sunk and disappeared without a trace.)