MOST FAMOUS SHIPWRECKS

Vasa

Vasa is a Swedish warship, believed to have been built between 1626 and 1628. The ship sank twenty minutes into its maiden voyage on 10 August 1628 after being hit by strong winds and flooding. Sinking less than a mile into its journey, it was regarded as a great embarassment for the King of Sweden, and there were several salvage attempts, but none were successful.

It was not until 1961 that the shipwreck was successfully recovered, including thousands of artifacts. The hull of the ship was found to be remarkably in tact and with the help of some restoration, the ship is now a popular Swedish tourist attraction, with over 22 million visitors to date.