The Australian National Maritime Museum recently announced the discovery of Captain James Cook’s iconic shipwreck off the coast of Rhode Island, bringing a conclusion to a 250-year-old mystery.
In a report published on June 3, the Australian National Maritime Museum explained that historical and archaeological evidence collected as part of an extensive project that spanned over two decades has led researchers to conclude that the RI 2394 shipwreck site in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, is Cook’s “HMS Endeavour,” which was later renamed the “Lord Sandwich” when the ship was used by the British.
“This final report is the culmination of 25 years of detailed and meticulous archaeological study on this important vessel,” Australian National Maritime Museum Director Daryl Karp said. Karp described the report as a “definitive statement” regarding the search for the HMS Endeavour, which the Australian National Maritime Museum launched in 1999. The museum’s director added that the search has “involved underwater investigation in the US and extensive research in institutions across the globe.”
According to The New York Post, the HMS Endeavour became famous for becoming the first European ship to circumnavigate New Zealand and land in the eastern part of Australia as part of an expedition that took place between 1768 and 1771.
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Fox News reported that the iconic ship was later intentionally sunk off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island, in an effort to prevent attacks by America and France. The outlet noted that while researchers have known that the shipwreck of the HMS Endeavor was located off the coast of Rhode Island, the exact location of the shipwreck remained a mystery for roughly 250 years.
According to the report, the shipwreck, which is located between 39 and 43 feet underwater, features a “linear stone ballast pile, the eastern periphery of which features a line of partially exposed frame ends that are closely spaced and of substantial size.”
“Four iron cannons are also present on the site,” the museum added in the report. “Two are largely exposed above the seabed and lie immediately adjacent to one another on the western side of the site.”
The museum’s report explains that by 2019, an investigation of the different shipwrecks located in the region led researchers to believe that RI 2394 was the “most likely candidate” for the HMS Endeavour shipwreck. According to the report, the shipwreck’s location satisfies 10 criteria previously agreed upon by different experts.
According to the report, the measurements of the RI 2394 shipwreck also match the measurements recorded in a 1768 survey of the iconic ship.
