Vietnam scrambles to salvage centuries-old shipwreck exposed by Typhoon Kalmaegi
The wreckage of the wooden ship was discovered in 2023 but became resubmerged before authorities could reclaim it
Initially discovered in 2023 off the coast of Hoi An, the at least 17.4-metre (57-foot) vessel – whose heavy wood-ribbed hull survived hundreds of years of rough seas almost perfectly intact – was resubmerged before authorities could reclaim it.
Experts have not yet dated the wreck, but preliminary findings suggest it was built between the 14th and 16th centuries – when Unesco-listed Hoi An was at the centre of a thriving regional trade in silk, ceramics and spices.
“We are currently preparing to apply for an emergency excavation [permit],” Pham Phu Ngoc, director of the Hoi An Centre for the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage, said on Monday after the wreck resurfaced following the passage of Typhoon Kalmaegi last week.
Centuries-old shipwreck exposed on Vietnam beach after Typhoon Kalmaegi
“The discovery of this ancient ship is clear evidence of Hoi An’s significant historical role in regional trade,” he said, adding more of the ship had been exposed this time, “which could provide us with more information”.