Archive · 20 Dec 2025
French Shipwreck Found 1.6 Miles Deep
A very old ship called Camarat 4 was found deep under the sea near France.
It is the deepest shipwreck ever found in French waters, about 1.6 miles down.
The ship is from the 16th century and has many ceramic jugs, plates, cannons, and other things.
Experts think the ship might have come from Italy.
They are excited because the ship and its cargo are well-preserved, which can teach us a lot about how people traded and traveled long ago.
They plan to explore more and learn about the history of the Mediterranean Sea.
A 16th-century shipwreck named Camarat 4 was discovered 1.6 miles deep in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of southeastern France.
The wreck is the deepest known shipwreck in French waters, surpassing the previous record held by the submarine La Minerve.
The ship measures 98 feet long and 23 feet wide and contains approximately 200 ceramic jugs, plates, six cannons, two large vessels, and possibly multiple anchors.
Archaeologists believe the ship likely sailed from a port in northern Italy and speculate it may have capsized due to unusual cargo storage.
The well-preserved cargo and ship offer unique insights into maritime trade, crafts, and activities of the 16th century.
- Who
- French Navy and archaeologists
- What
- Discovery of a 16th-century shipwreck with hundreds of ceramic jugs and plates
- When
- Discovered in March 2024
- Where
- Off the coast of southeastern France, near Ramatuelle, off Saint-Tropez
- Why
- To monitor the seabed and conduct underwater archaeological research
- Depth
- 1.6 miles
- Location
- Off the coast of southeastern France
- Ship Name
- Camarat 4
- Dimensions
- 98 feet long and 23 feet wide
- Cargo
- 200 ceramic jugs, plates, six cannons, two large vessels, and possibly multiple anchors
- Origin
- Likely sailed from a port in northern Italy
- Date
- Believed to be from the 16th century