Polish Divers Discover 19th Century Shipwreck with Luxury Goods in Baltic Sea

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A team of Polish divers has uncovered the wreckage of a 19th-century sailing ship off the Swedish coast, revealing a treasure trove of luxury items, including approximately 100 bottles of Champagne and mineral water. The ship, believed to have been en route to royal destinations in Stockholm or St. Petersburg, sank in the latter half of the 1800s. The discovery was made on July 11 by the private Baltictech group, which specializes in shipwreck exploration. The wreck was located about 58 meters (190 feet) deep, approximately 37 kilometers (20 nautical miles) south of Öland. Initially preparing to conclude their dive, divers Marek Cacaj and Pawel Truszynski opted for a final exploration, leading to the significant find. Tomasz Stachura, the team leader, expressed his astonishment at the volume of cargo discovered, noting that such a find is unprecedented in his 40 years of diving experience. Among the items recovered were stoneware bottles of Selters mineral water, known for its purported medicinal properties, while the Champagne brand remains unidentified, though a letter "R" was visible on one cork. Stachura indicated that the wreck's preservation conditions—constant temperature, darkness, and lack of currents—have likely kept the contents in good condition. Experts in Champagne and Selters have already reached out to Baltictech for potential laboratory analysis of the bottles. However, the Swedish authorities will ultimately determine the future steps regarding the exploration of the wreck.