A ship that sunk off of Ulleungdo in 1905 that had previously fought in the Russo-Japanese has been discovered by Korean treasure hunters:
The wreckage of the ship. / Courtesy of Shinil Group
A Russian battleship that sank 113 years ago in waters off South Korea’s Ulleung Island ― allegedly carrying tons of gold coins and bars ― has been located.
The rusty hull of the Dmitri Donskoii was found on the seabed a kilometer from the island’s Jeodong-ri and 434 meters underwater, said Shinil Group, a South Korean company which has endeavored to find the ship for years.
“We found the body of the Dmitrii Donskoi 434 meters deep in seas 1.3 kilometers off Ulleung Island at around 9:50 a.m., Sunday,” Shinil Group said.
The vessel’s shape and details were “confirmed to be identical with the Dmitri Donskoii,” the company said. It inspected the wreckage with two manned submarines on Saturday. [Korea Times]
You can read the rest at the link, but the ship was rumored to be filled with gold worth $133 billion today. The treasure hunters are in the process of trying to lift the ship to look for the gold. If a billions in gold is discovered, I think it may pose an interesting legal challenge from the Russians because it is technically their property.
I wonder why they are so quick to reveal its location … assuming this information is true. Why not just quietly finish the salvage operation and then afterwards crow about what you’ve found? Seems like you’re just asking for trouble with every wannabee treasure hunter and his brother out poking around the sunken ship’s location.
“Dmitrii Donskoi was armed with two 30-calibre 8-inch (203 mm) Model 1877 guns, on sponsons on the upper deck between the funnels. The fourteen 28-calibre Model 1877 6-inch (152 mm) guns were mounted in casemates on the main deck. Anti-torpedo boat defence was provided by a number of nine-pounder (42 mm (1.7 in), four-pounder (34 mm (1.3 in) and 37 mm (1.5 in) five-barreled revolver Hotchkiss guns. The ship was also equipped with four above-water 15-inch (381 mm) torpedo tubes.”
As it was discovered on my birthday, I think I deserve a small percentage, too…
Bet Fatty can’t wait for it all to be sent North.
I wonder why they are so quick to reveal its location … assuming this information is true. Why not just quietly finish the salvage operation and then afterwards crow about what you’ve found? Seems like you’re just asking for trouble with every wannabee treasure hunter and his brother out poking around the sunken ship’s location.
Cruiser, not battleship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_cruiser_Dmitrii_Donskoi
“Dmitrii Donskoi was armed with two 30-calibre 8-inch (203 mm) Model 1877 guns, on sponsons on the upper deck between the funnels. The fourteen 28-calibre Model 1877 6-inch (152 mm) guns were mounted in casemates on the main deck. Anti-torpedo boat defence was provided by a number of nine-pounder (42 mm (1.7 in), four-pounder (34 mm (1.3 in) and 37 mm (1.5 in) five-barreled revolver Hotchkiss guns. The ship was also equipped with four above-water 15-inch (381 mm) torpedo tubes.”
As it was discovered on my birthday, I think I deserve a small percentage, too…
“quick to reveal its location”
…did no treasure hunter do truthfully ever.