ÊTeenage Swimmers Discover Sunken U.S. Ship off Cuba's Eastern Coast
By Andrea RodriguezÊ Associated Press Writer
Published: Aug 4, 2005 Ê
HAVANA (AP) - Two teenagers swimming in seas off the eastern Cuban city of Santiago discovered a sunken U.S. ship from the late 19th century, possibly a remnant of the Spanish-American War, a maritime expert said Thursday.
ÊBronze nails, chains and old-fashioned containers were among artifacts inside the ship, said Nicasio Vina, director of Santiago de Cuba's Investigative Center of Ecosystems and Biodiversity.
Ê"The teenagers got in touch with our institution and we were able to verify the find: a 32.5-meter (106-foot) boat, the remains of which were uncovered during the recent passing of Hurricane Dennis," Vina said in a telephone interview from Santiago, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of Havana.
ÊThe teenagers made the discovery near Siboney beach, 15 kilometers (10 miles) south of Santiago, an area used by U.S. troops during the Spanish-American War.
ÊExperts have started trying to piece together the boat's exact origins and how it came to be off the coasts of Cuba. Vina said evidence does confirm the boat is American, and that it was likely involved in the war, which ended in 1898 with Spain ceding control of Cuba to the United States.
ÊThe boat, which has a large skeleton and is built of sturdy wood, was likely constructed in the middle of the 19th century, Vina said. It was found 2.5 meters (8 feet) underwater, in a shifted position after the hurricane sliced across Cuba July 8.
ÊThe discovery caused excitement among the locals around Siboney, according to Vina.
Ê"It's a reunion with their past, with unique historical and cultural value," he said.
ÊObjects from the boat will be displayed in a museum connected to the Investigative Center of Ecosystems and Biodiversity.