A research team in New Jersey has discovered the remains of a steamship that went missing in 1856.
The Atlantic Wreck Salvage (AWS), which uses the D/V Tenacious vessel for its searches, shared in a Facebook post that they discovered the remains of the transatlantic passenger steamship Le Lyonnais off the coast of Massachusetts.
“A discovery team from D/V Tenacious first side scanned potential targets in September of 2023 and returned in August of 2024 to dive them, one of which was Le Lyonnais,” the Wednesday, Sept. 4 announcement, from the organization reads.
Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.
Atlantic Wreck Salvage
“The wreckage lies approximately 200 miles from our launch point at Fleet Marina in New Bedford, MA on the eastern edges of Georges Bank,” the post continued.
According to Fox News, Le Lyonnais, built in 1855, was on its first return voyage to Le Havre, France, when it collided with the Adriatic on Nov. 2, 1856.
While the Adriatic managed to sail away, the damage from the collision caused the Le Lyonnais to be left with a hole and sink days later, leaving 114 out of its 132 passengers dead. The survivors were “stuck in a lifeboat for a week,” according to Fox News.
Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.
Andrew Donn
The Atlantic Wreck Salvage identified the wreckage as Le Lyonnais’ after finding a horizontal steam engine and iron hull plates, the Asbury Park Press reported.
“Those clues with the location, sonar data and measurements, further solidified that we were diving the lost French liner,” team member Joe Mazraani told the publication.
His partner, Jennifer Sellitti, who is set to detail the discovery in her forthcoming book The Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-and-Run Off the Coast of Nantucket, told Fox News that it was “difficult to explain” how she felt finding the Le Lyonnais after searching for it for eight years.
Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.
Andrew Donn
“For the team, the feeling was a mixture of relief and joy, but there was also a sense of ‘What’s next?’ ” she said.
“For me, personally, I have spent so long trying to learn and tell the stories of the people who sailed aboard Le Lyonnais that finding her felt like closure – like a way to help those who died so long ago to finally rest in peace,” continued Sellitti.
