Found After 500 Years, the Wreck of Christopher Columbus’s Flagship, the Santa Maria

More than 500 years after Christopher Columbus’s flagship, the Santa Maria, sank in the Caribbean, archaeologists believe they may have found its long-lost remains. The wreck is located off the northern coast of Haiti, and if confirmed, it could be one of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries in history.

Barry Clifford, a leading underwater archaeologist and the head of a recent expedition to the site, stated that the combined geographical, underwater, and archaeological evidence strongly suggests that the wreck is indeed Columbus’s famous ship, the Santa Maria.

Clifford expressed gratitude for the Haitian government's cooperation and emphasized the need for continued collaboration to conduct a full archaeological excavation of the site. So far, his team has only performed noninvasive surveys, including detailed measurements and underwater photography.

The identification of the wreck as the Santa Maria became possible thanks to earlier discoveries made in 2003, which helped locate Columbus’s fort nearby. Using this information and details from Columbus’s own diary, Clifford was able to estimate where the wreck should be.

Interestingly, Clifford's team had already found and photographed the wreck during an expedition a decade ago. However, at that time, they had not recognized its likely identity. A fresh review of the underwater photographs from the original 2003 survey, combined with recent reconnaissance dives conducted this month, led Clifford to tentatively identify the wreck as the Santa Maria.

The evidence supporting the discovery is strong. The wreck is located exactly where Christopher Columbus described it in his diary in relation to his fort.

Historical records about the underwater landscape where the Santa Maria was lost match the conditions of this site. The local currents align with what is known about how the ship drifted before it sank. Additionally, the footprint of the wreck, marked by the pile of ballast stones, corresponds precisely to what would be expected from a vessel of the Santa Maria’s size.

Barry Clifford’s team has spent years scanning the seabed off northern Haiti using marine magnetometers, side-scan sonar, and divers. Out of more than 400 underwater anomalies investigated, they narrowed the search to a small area where they believe the remains of Columbus’s lost ship have been found.

A fresh analysis of photos taken during the 2003 survey by Clifford and his son Brandon has provided further clues. Among the findings was a likely early cannon, the same type documented to have been aboard the Santa Maria, suggesting that the wreck dates back to Columbus’s time.

When Clifford and his team returned to the site this month, their goal was to confirm the identity of the cannon and other visible artifacts previously photographed. However, key objects, including the cannon, had been stolen by looters.

Clifford stated that his team has informed the Haitian government about the discovery and looks forward to collaborating with local authorities to protect and preserve the site. He emphasized that working together to safeguard the artifacts and historical evidence of this significant ship would be a remarkable opportunity.

Barry Clifford expressed confidence that a full excavation of the wreck would provide the first detailed marine archaeological evidence of Columbus’s arrival in the Americas.

He stated that if the excavation goes as planned and the condition of any buried wooden remains is good, there may be an opportunity to recover and fully conserve parts of the ship. The goal would be to place the preserved remains on public display in a museum in Haiti. Clifford believes that presenting the wreck in this way could contribute to the development of Haiti’s tourism industry.

Clifford, who previously discussed the wreck site with Haitian President Michel Martelly, is one of the most experienced underwater archaeologists in the world. Over the past 40 years, he has explored numerous historic shipwrecks globally. He is best known for discovering and excavating the Whydah, the first fully verified pirate shipwreck, in 1984. More recently, he located Captain Kidd’s flagship off the coast of Madagascar.

The Santa Maria was built in the second half of the 15th century in Spain’s Basque region. In 1492, Columbus hired the ship and set sail from Spain’s Atlantic coast, passing through the Canary Islands before heading west in search of a new route to Asia.

After 37 days at sea, he arrived in the Bahamas. However, just over ten weeks later, the Santa Maria, with Columbus on board, drifted onto a reef off the northern coast of Haiti and was abandoned. Near the wreck site, Columbus built his first fort. A week later, leaving some of his men behind, he set sail back to Spain on his remaining two ships to inform King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of what he believed to be a new western route to Asia.

Professor Charles Beeker, a maritime archaeologist from Indiana University, joined Clifford’s recent expedition to Haiti and conducted an underwater visual assessment of the site. He believes the wreck site requires further scientific investigation to recover artifacts that could confirm its identity.

Beeker pointed out that compelling evidence from the 2003 site photographs and recent reconnaissance dives suggests that the wreck could indeed be the Santa Maria. However, he emphasized that an excavation would be needed to gather definitive proof. Beeker serves as Director of Indiana University’s Office of Underwater Science.

The investigation into the wreck has the backing of the American TV network History Channel, which has secured exclusive rights to produce a documentary on the discovery.