Ancient Hoi An shipwreck grabs global headlines
VOV.VN - Numerous reputable international media outlets such as CNN, CBS News, the Times of India, and AFP have simultaneously reported on the centuries-old shipwreck that surfaced on a beach in Hoi An, Da Nang City, after a recent storm made landfall in Vietnam.
According to CBS News, a news division of the American television and radio broadcaster CBS, the wreck was exposed due to severe coastal erosion caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi, offering a rare opportunity to salvage what experts believe could provide invaluable insights into regional maritime history.
While the vessel has not yet been precisely dated, preliminary analyses suggest it was built between the 14th and 16th centuries, a period when UNESCO-listed Hoi An thrived as a regional trading hub for silk, ceramics, and spices.
Meanwhile, the Times of India revealed that the 57-foot vessel, whose heavy wood-ribbed hull survived hundreds of years of rough seas almost perfectly intact, was initially discovered off the coast of Hoi An in 2023. However, it was resubmerged before the authorities could reclaim it.
The French news agency AFP quoted Pham Phu Ngoc, deputy director of the Hoi An Centre for the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage, as saying that the centre is preparing to apply for an emergency excavation permit.
Ngoc also told AFP that this discovery underscores Hoi An’s historic role in regional trade and that many parts of the ship recovered this time could reveal further information about its origin and use.
Earlier, in 2024, a team of experts from the Hoi AnCentre for the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage, in coordination with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, under the Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City and the Quang Nam Museum, conducted preliminary studies and sampling at the site. They determined that the ship was constructed from exceptionally durable wood and reinforced with waterproofing materials to seal the joints.
Experts stressed that the artifact is at risk of severe deterioration if immediate conservation measures are not taken due to serious coastal erosion and the ship’s constant exposure to harsh weather conditions.
The shipwreck remained clearly visible on November 10, with many people gathering on the beach to admire it.
Quang Nam: suspected ancient shipwreck vanishes in sea
An attention-grabbing object, suspected to be an ancient shipwreck, has vanished from the waters off Hoi An city in the central coastal province of Quang Nam, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Lanh has confirmed.
