Using robots and a submarine, the Nautic Discovery team was able to take pictures and videos for the first time at the beginning of March of the Mercedes passenger ship, lying at a depth of 270 metres.
The discovery was pure coincidence. The Nautic Discovery wreck hunters were actually looking for another ship, the Torpediniera T19, which sank in the same area in 1896 during a storm with 12 people on board, and has remained undiscovered ever since.
Finding another shipwreck at this depth was quite a surprise, Jörg Mathieu from the Nautic Discovery team told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA, as few such discoveries are made at this depth. Mathieu and his crew “dived” the wreck by submarine for the first time at the beginning of March.
Wreck in top condition
Despite the tattered bow, the condition of the wreck was “very good”, Mathieu said, and the quagga mussel, which is considered invasive, had not yet colonised the wreck. Nevertheless, Mathieu assumed that the wood had lost its strength and that it would therefore not really be possible to salvage the Mercedes.
More
More
Invasive quagga mussel could profoundly change Swiss lakes
This content was published on
The invasive quagga mussel, originally from the Black Sea region, is spreading rapidly in Swiss lakes.
The team found the wreck around one kilometre from the scene of the accident. The shipwreck specialists assume that the ship drifted just below the surface for a while before sinking.
The Mercedes was lost for almost 100 years. The accident occurred on July 8, 1928, when the ship rammed into the side of the Italian passenger ship Magnolia with its bow just off Brissago, despite good visibility and calm water.
According to research by the wreck hunters, the Mercedes suffered major damage to the bow and quickly filled with water. Seven passengers and one crew member were rescued. However, 22-year-old engineer Ferdinando Vigini went down with the ship, according to a press release from Nautic Discovery, citing a local media report.
The Mercedes is not the first shipwreck to be discovered by Nautic Discovery. Mathieu, from Switzerland, and Martin Wenzel from Germany, both passionate divers, have dedicated themselves to searching for previously undiscovered shipwrecks both at home and abroad.
Adapted from German by DeepL/kp
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Aussie adoptee gains Swiss citizenship at 54 thanks to old envelope
Basel diocese files five claims of sexual abuse in Swiss Catholic Church
This content was published on
The diocese of Basel has received 141 reports of sexual abuse since the publication of a sweeping study on violations in the Catholic Church by the University of Zurich in 2023.
Swiss president calls for open markets and stable institutions in WEF speech
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter was among speakers at the WEF in Davos to make the case for fair competition, a day after Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States.
Swiss film in competition at the 75th Berlinale has a shot at Golden Bear
This content was published on
The feature film La Cache by Lausanne screenwriter and director Lionel Baier has a chance of winning the Silver or Golden Bear at the 75th Berlinale, festival organisers said on Tuesday.
Swiss politician who shot at image of Jesus resigns from Liberal Green Party
This content was published on
Sanija Ameti, who caused controversy after shooting at an image of Jesus and Mary last September, has resigned from the Liberal Green Party.
Swiss campaigners gather enough signatures to submit ‘responsible business’ initiative
This content was published on
The Swiss people are set to vote again on the corporate responsibility of multinationals after campaigners collected 183,661 signatures in 14 days for their new 'responsible business' initiative.
Several Swiss municipalities and banks hit by cyberattack
This content was published on
Russian hackers attacked the websites of several Swiss municipalities and banks on Tuesday, just as the World Economic Forum (WEF), got under way in Davos.
Music strengthens brain connections in premature babies, Swiss study shows
This content was published on
In premature babies, music strengthens connections in certain areas of the brain, according to a years-long study by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG).
WEF gives Crystal Award to Beckham, Yamamoto and von Fürstenberg
This content was published on
The World Economic Forum in Davos handed out awards to UNICEF ambassador David Beckham, Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto and women's rights activist Diane von Fürstenberg.
Swiss CEOs betting on a strong domestic market in 2025
This content was published on
Swiss business leaders are optimistic about 2025, despite a world in crisis, says a new survey by Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
This content was published on
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis have welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to Bern
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.