15th century ship discovered in Baltic Sea

The discovery was made by an underwater robot that had been surveying the seafloor for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will connect Russia and Germany.

The first clues to the ship’s existence were discovered in 2009, when scientists saw a small point on their sonar, a device that uses sound waves to find objects underwater. Ten years later, their suspicions were confirmed: the ship was discovered during the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

According to expert evaluations, the ship was built in the late 15th century. This is a unique case, as the ship was preserved in near-perfect condition: in the video below, you can clearly see its hull, mast and even some remnants from the rigging.

Experts attribute its condition to the characteristics of the Baltic Sea: it is cold, with low concentrations of salt, making it unsuitable for shipworms - marine molluscs that eat wood. These heat-loving creatures are often blamed for the poor preservation of vessels discovered in the southern latitudes.