Captain Morgan’s Pirate Ship Wreckage Discovered Near Panama

Avast ye’ land lubbers, the long lost wreckage of 17th century pirate Captain Henry Morgan’s ship has been found off the coast of Panama.

Funded by Captain Morgan USA, distributor of the well known spiced rum named after the notorious pirate, archaeologists from Texas State University diving near the Lajas Reef discovered a large section of hull from what they believe to be Morgan’s flagship, “Satisfaction.”

“When the opportunity arose for us to help make this discovery mission possible, it was a natural fit for us to get involved. The artifacts uncovered during this mission will help bring Henry Morgan and his adventures to life in a way never thought possible” Captain Morgan USA brand director, Tom Herbst said in a statement.

In addition to the hull, the team uncovered several unopened cargo boxes and coral-encrusted chests which appear to match the age and design of five ships that Morgan – sailing as a privateer on behalf of England – lost off the reef in 1671 during his effort to capture Panama City and loosen the stronghold of Spain on the Caribbean.

“To us, the ship is the treasure — the story is the treasure,” Fritz Hanselman, the archaeologist who led the dive team responsible for the discovery explained. “And you don’t have a much better story than Captain Henry Morgan’s sack of Panama City and the loss of his five ships.”

All artifacts excavated by the dive team – including six cannons from a previous dive in 2010 – will remain the property of the Panamanian government and will be preserved and displayed by the Patronato Panama Viejo.

Hear from some of the archaeologists involved in the discovery of Captain Morgan’s ship in the video below:

via Discovery