17th-century Spanish wreck found off Panama coast

Archaeologists searching for ships belonging to Captain Henry Morgan have discovered the wreck of the Encarnación, a 17th-century Spanish ship.

In 1681, the Spanish merchant ship Encarnación sank during a storm near the mouth of the Chagres River on the Caribbean side of Panama. Built in Veracruz, Mexico, the cargo vessel was part of the Tierra Firme fleet, the economic lifeline of 17th-century Spain.

Though it sank in less than 40 feet of water, the Encarnación somehow escaped major looting and is surprisingly well-preserved, with the bottom half of its hull intact thanks to burial in the seafloor.

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Story: Jane J. Lee, National Geographic News | Photo: Jonathan Kingston, National Geographic Creative