Remains from 1856 Shipwreck Found Off the Coast of Massachusetts, Says Research Group

Mar. 15, 2025

Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.Photo:Andrew Donn; Atlantic Wreck Salvage

Andrew Donn; Atlantic Wreck Salvage

A research team in New Jersey has discovered the remains of a steamship that went missing in 1856.TheAtlantic Wreck Salvage (AWS), which uses theD/V Tenaciousvessel for its searches, shared in aFacebook postthat they discovered the remains of the transatlantic passenger steamshipLe Lyonnaisoff the coast of Massachusetts.“A discovery team from D/V Tenacious first side scanned potential targets in September of 2023 and returned in August of 2024 to dive them, one of which wasLe Lyonnais,” the Wednesday, Sept. 4 announcement, from the organization reads.Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.Atlantic Wreck Salvage"The wreckage lies approximately 200 miles from our launch point at Fleet Marina in New Bedford, MA on the eastern edges of Georges Bank," the post continued.According toFox News,Le Lyonnais, built in 1855, was on its first return voyage to Le Havre, France, when it collided withthe Adriaticon Nov. 2, 1856.Whilethe Adriaticmanaged to sail away, the damage from the collision caused theLe Lyonnaisto be left with a hole and sink days later, leaving 114 out of its 132 passengers dead. The survivors were “stuck in a lifeboat for a week,” according to Fox News.Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.Andrew DonnThe Atlantic Wreck Salvage identified the wreckage asLe Lyonnais’after finding a horizontal steam engine and iron hull plates, theAsbury Park Pressreported.“Those clues with the location, sonar data and measurements, further solidified that we were diving the lost French liner,” team member Joe Mazraani told the publication.His partner, Jennifer Sellitti, who is set to detail the discovery in her forthcoming bookThe Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-and-Run Off the Coast of Nantucket, told Fox News that it was “difficult to explain” how she felt finding theLe Lyonnaisafter searching for it for eight years.Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.Andrew Donn"For the team, the feeling was a mixture of relief and joy, but there was also a sense of ‘What’s next?’ " she said.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“For me, personally, I have spent so long trying to learn and tell the stories of the people who sailed aboardLe Lyonnaisthat finding her felt like closure – like a way to help those who died so long ago to finally rest in peace,” continued Sellitti.

A research team in New Jersey has discovered the remains of a steamship that went missing in 1856.

TheAtlantic Wreck Salvage (AWS), which uses theD/V Tenaciousvessel for its searches, shared in aFacebook postthat they discovered the remains of the transatlantic passenger steamshipLe Lyonnaisoff the coast of Massachusetts.

“A discovery team from D/V Tenacious first side scanned potential targets in September of 2023 and returned in August of 2024 to dive them, one of which wasLe Lyonnais,” the Wednesday, Sept. 4 announcement, from the organization reads.

Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.Atlantic Wreck Salvage

Atlantic Wreck Salvage

“The wreckage lies approximately 200 miles from our launch point at Fleet Marina in New Bedford, MA on the eastern edges of Georges Bank,” the post continued.

According toFox News,Le Lyonnais, built in 1855, was on its first return voyage to Le Havre, France, when it collided withthe Adriaticon Nov. 2, 1856.

Whilethe Adriaticmanaged to sail away, the damage from the collision caused theLe Lyonnaisto be left with a hole and sink days later, leaving 114 out of its 132 passengers dead. The survivors were “stuck in a lifeboat for a week,” according to Fox News.

Research group discovers remains of ship that sank in 1856.Andrew Donn

Andrew Donn

The Atlantic Wreck Salvage identified the wreckage asLe Lyonnais’after finding a horizontal steam engine and iron hull plates, theAsbury Park Pressreported.

“Those clues with the location, sonar data and measurements, further solidified that we were diving the lost French liner,” team member Joe Mazraani told the publication.

His partner, Jennifer Sellitti, who is set to detail the discovery in her forthcoming bookThe Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-and-Run Off the Coast of Nantucket, told Fox News that it was “difficult to explain” how she felt finding theLe Lyonnaisafter searching for it for eight years.

“For the team, the feeling was a mixture of relief and joy, but there was also a sense of ‘What’s next?’ " she said.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“For me, personally, I have spent so long trying to learn and tell the stories of the people who sailed aboardLe Lyonnaisthat finding her felt like closure – like a way to help those who died so long ago to finally rest in peace,” continued Sellitti.

source: people.com