French military discovers the deepest shipwreck ever found in French waters, located 8,200 feet below the surface.
The French military discovered a 16th-century shipwreck roughly 1.5 miles off the coast of Ramatuelle, marking the deepest shipwreck ever found in French waters. Located 8,200 feet underwater, the wreck, named Camarat 4, was identified during a routine sonar investigation of the French seafloor. Thierry de la Burgade, deputy maritime prefect, stated that sonar detected a large object, which was then inspected by remotely operated underwater vehicles. The vessel, which is over 98 feet long and 23 feet wide, appears to be a merchant ship carrying a load of ceramics, including at least 200 earthenware pitchers and 100 yellow plates. Arnaud Schaumasse, head of the culture ministry’s underwater archaeology department, noted that the ship was likely sailing southwest from the Liguria region when it sank. Because of its extreme depth, the wreck has remained virtually intact and free from looting. Experts plan to create a 3D digital model of the ship and conduct targeted sampling of artifacts.