16th-century shipwreck of a merchant vessel discovered off the coast of Ramatuelle in France accidentally when navy researchers scanned the seafloor in routine sonar investigations has revealed a merchant ship that had remained on the seabed for about 500 years. The discovery happened during a French military operation in 2025. Researchers were scanning the seafloor when sonar detected an object. The team returned with underwater equipment and found a shipwreck about 1.5 miles from Ramatuelle, France. The vessel lies 8,200 feet underwater. Its location helped protect the site from salvage and looting. Researchers found ceramics, ship equipment and other objects linked to the vessel.
