Underwater archaeologists led by the famed treasure hunter Barry Clifford believe they have discovered remains of the Santa Maria – the flagship of Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to America (1492).
Christoper Columbus arrives in America by L. Prang & Co., Boston, 1893.
The Santa Maria (original name Marigalante) was a medium sized carrack, about 19 meters long.
The ship had a single deck, three masts, forecastle and sterncastle. She was armed with bombards that fired granite balls.
The ship never left the New World – she ran aground off the modern-day Haiti on Christmas Day 1492 and was lost.
Her sister ships, the Niña and Pinta, returned safely to Spain despite near catastrophe in storms.
Christopher Columbus had the Santa Maria disassembled and used the timbers to build a fortress in La Navidad, the first Spanish settlement.
Because of the loss of the ship, he was forced to leave 39 men and supplies at La Navidad to await for his return.
Mr Clifford and his team announced yesterday that they found remains of the Santa Maria in the area where Columbus said his flagship ran aground 521 years ago.
The wreck, according to the archaeologists, rests at a depth of about 3 meters near a reef off the northern coast of Haiti.
The in-situ evidence that led the team to think the ship is the Columbus’ flagship is a cannon of 15th century design that was found at the site.
Mr Clifford and his team are now planning to excavate and examine the remains of the ship in order to determine whether it is in fact the Santa Maria.
