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Image Credit: Felipe Cerezo Andreo
Archaeologists Document 124 Shipwrecks in the Bay of Algeciras
Spanish archaeologists have identified 151 underwater archaeological sites, including 124 shipwrecks, in the Bay of Algeciras near the Strait of Gibraltar, highlighting the long-term strategic and commercial importance of this maritime corridor.
The discoveries were made during an archaeological survey conducted between 2020 and 2023 in the bay, a key anchorage on the eastern side of the strait. According to the research team, the finds span a wide chronological range, from the Punic and Roman periods through the medieval era and into modern history.
The survey confirms the role of the Bay of Algeciras as a major maritime hub linked to regional and international navigation. Over time, the area served as a point of access to the Iberian Peninsula, a zone of naval confrontation, and a stopping place for ships moving between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
Among the oldest discoveries is a wreck dating to the fifth century BC, believed to have been carrying fish sauce produced in Cádiz. The team also identified remains connected to more recent conflicts, including shipwrecks associated with the Napoleonic Wars and the remains of a Maiale, a type of manned submarine used by the Italian navy during the Second World War.
Researchers note that most of these sites had not previously been documented archaeologically. Before 2019, only four underwater archaeological sites were known in the area, and just one of them had been identified as a shipwreck.
The team used geophysical methods such as multibeam echosounders and magnetometers to detect seabed features and buried anomalies, followed by diving operations to measure and digitally model the remains. They also warn that climate-driven changes in currents and sediment movement, together with the anchoring activity of large vessels, are exposing and threatening these archaeological remains.
So far, work has focused on relatively shallow waters of around 10 metres in depth, while much of the bay reaches far deeper levels. Future research will concentrate on the detailed study of individual wrecks and on exploring deeper sectors that may preserve even older archaeological evidence.
Published on: 22-04-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: CNN
