France’s Deepest 16th-Century Shipwreck Uncovered Beneath 8,200 Feet of Water

Routine French Navy seabed surveys off Ramatuelle revealed Camarat 4, a 16th‑century merchant vessel buried about 8,200 feet deep—France’s deepest wreck. After a sonar hit, an autonomous underwater vehicle and a remotely operated craft captured images of a 98-by-23‑foot ship carrying hundreds of Ligurian-style earthenware pitchers (IHS monogram), yellow plates, anchors, cannons, and other gear. The team believes the cargo points to Liguria’s origin and plans 3D modeling and artifact sampling to study the wreck while avoiding salvage at such depths.