Shipwreck discovered off Oman’s coast thought to be part of Vasco da Gama’s fleet

Archaeologists have speculated that a 500-year-old shipwreck discovered off the coast of Oman could have belonged to a fleet of ships owned by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.

Off the coast of Oman. Image by Juozas Šalna / CC BY 2.0

Artefacts found in the wreckage include ceramics, a bell, a stone shot and a rare silver coin. The coin, known as an Indio, is only the second of its kind ever to be found. In an article published by The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, the archaeological team reveal that the wreckage was likely a part of the Esmerelda – one of two ships in Da Gama’s fleet that was lost in a storm on a voyage to India. The site in Ghubbat ar Rahib Bay off Al Hallaniyah island was found in 1998 but excavation only began in 2013. Read more: thenational.ae