words by Carol King
An off-duty policeman found what is believed to be an 18th-century Spanish galleon near the tiny island of Capo Passero off the Sicilian coast in the Ionian Sea.
Italian policeman, Bruno Magnano, was diving when he spied a strange wooden and iron object protruding from the sand. He summoned his colleagues and their search uncovered the ship’s wooden remains and cannons. Local archaeologists presume the shipwreck is a warship that the Spanish sank to prevent it falling into British hands when they were defeated during the Battle of Cape Passero on 11 August 1718. Reports speculate that the wreck may be that of the ‘Esperanza’ (Hope) commanded by Don Juan Delfino y Barlande, which was burnt to evade capture.
The wreck is in remarkably good condition. Divers have found its wooden hull, crockery and five iron cannons with wooden carriages and wheels. The coastguard has sealed off the area while further investigation is ongoing because the sand around the vessel may reveal yet more treasures. Cleaning and conservation work will be carried out underwater. The authorities hope the process will reveal more about the ship’s age, origins and use.
The Spanish fleet that engaged in the naval battle consisted of 26 men-of-war, two fire ships, four bomb vessels and seven galleys, as well as several other ships carrying stores and provisions. France, Britain and Austria declared war on Spain four months after the Battle of Cape Passero, starting the War of the Quadruple Alliance.
