Sunken 19th-Century Steamship Found Near Sozopol by Researchers from the Centre for Underwater Archaeology

A steamship that sank off the coast of Sozopol nearly 200 years ago has been discovered and studied by researchers from Bulgaria’s Centre for Underwater Archaeology.

The find came as a major surprise — the wreck lies just 300 metres from Harmanite Beach, in an area where no one had previously suspected a shipwreck. The discovery was documented by the team’s underwater cameras.

Armed with a powerful echo sounder and sonar, archaeologists are now able to scan vast underwater areas in search of traces from the past. And although shipwrecks are among their main targets, no one expected to find one so close to shore — just 350 metres from Harmanite Beach.

Moreover, this one turned out to be highly unusual.

Eng. Kiril Velkovski, geophysicist:
“Yes, we passed over it and scanned it. Because the sonar gives such detailed images, we need to make several passes to collect enough reflections and build a clear picture.”

The remains are visible up to two metres above the sandy seabed, densely covered with mussels, rapa whelks, and sponges, suggesting that they have lain undisturbed for centuries.

Eng. Kiril Velkovski:
“We deployed a remotely operated vehicle and were astonished to see pieces of iron, pipes and strange structures that didn’t look like a ship at all.”

Dr Nayden Prahov:
“It’s an unexpected discovery — a rare one.”

Detailed photogrammetry and 3D spatial modelling, however, have now revealed that the wreck is, in fact, a steamship with paddle wheels.

Eng. Kiril Velkovski:
“Pavka, this looks like a firebox — maybe two fireboxes?”

Dr Pavel Georgiev:
“Most likely, yes. You can see the double walls, fixed with rivets — it’s quite clear.”

Prof. Kalin Porozhanov:
“Can we confirm the arguments for it being a paddle steamer?”

Eng. Kiril Velkovski:
“Yes, here — you can clearly see the arcs. That’s the upper part of the hull.”

Dr Nayden Prahov:
“We still need to determine whether the hull is wooden or fully iron. Some early ships were wooden sailing vessels retrofitted with steam engines.”

The biggest mystery remains why no record or memory of this shipwreck exists among locals — and how it managed to stay hidden for so long.

Dr Nayden Prahov:
“We spoke with local residents — no one knows of a sunken ship here. That’s why we believe it sank before Bulgaria’s Liberation, because later events are generally remembered, especially by coastal communities.”

What kind of vessel it was is still unclear, and researchers will need to search historical archives for answers.

Dr Dragomir Gărbov:
“This archaeological site was unknown to the diving community until now. Historical records show that the first steamship line on the western Black Sea coast was operated by the Austrian company Lloyd in 1845, running from Constantinople via Burgas and Varna to Galați, linking up with the Danube steamship route to Vienna. We suspect a possible connection.”

Whether the wreck was part of that route — and what caused its sinking — remains to be discovered.

Dr Dragomir Gărbov:
“We have no evidence of military activity around Sozopol at that time — this was during the Crimean War. It’s possible the ship was involved in supplying allied troops, as their naval base was in Varna.”

Dr Nayden Prahov:
“It will be interesting to determine whether it also had sails. Early steamships often combined sail power with steam engines.”

Prof. Kalin Porozhanov:
“If it sailed the open sea, it must have had wind support — those paddle wheels alone wouldn’t be stable enough for the Black Sea.”

Still, the Black Sea clearly proved unforgiving. From the distorted metal elements resembling a boiler or firebox, researchers do not rule out the possibility of an explosion.

Prof. Kalin Porozhanov:
“There are no reefs here, so it couldn’t have sunk after hitting one.”

Dr Nayden Prahov:
“Indeed, the seabed is flat and the depth sufficient.”

Dr Pavel Georgiev:
“That could explain the damage to what appears to be the boiler or steam engine — it seems to have been blown apart.”

Dr Dragomir Gărbov:
“Accidents at sea were common, especially in the early days of steam navigation. Steam boilers were relatively dangerous — even explosive.”

The maritime history of Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast from this period remains largely unknown and under-researched.

But now, thanks to this remarkable discovery, scientists have a new opportunity to fill in the missing chapters of that history.