In a remarkable discovery, the wreck of the French steamship Le Lyonnais, which sank in a maritime disaster in 1856 off Massachusetts, has been found by a marine salvage crew. The New Jersey marine salvage firm Atlantic Wreck Salvage located the wreck about 200 miles off New Bedford, Massachusetts, late August. This find marks a new chapter in the history of the passenger liner, built during the transition from the Age of Sail to steamships.

The spokesperson for Atlantic Wreck Salvage, Jennifer Sellitti, stated that finding the wreck after years of searching signifies both closure and a new beginning. The next steps involve documenting and mapping the wreck site, as well as assessing which artifacts can be retrieved from the vessel resting about TK feet below sea level.

Le Lyonnais, spanning about 260 feet in length, operated between New York and France, equipped with both sails and a steam engine. The ship’s tragic fate occurred during its first return voyage to Le Havre when it collided with the Maine-built barque Adriatic, resulting in a fatal hull breach that led to the loss of 114 out of the 132 passengers and crew onboard. The Adriatic managed to return to New England for repairs after the collision.

Through extensive historical research and sonar technology, the salvage crew successfully pinpointed the location of Le Lyonnais’ wreck. Unfortunately, the ship’s condition is likely too degraded for a full recovery, Sellitti mentioned. However, the significance of the steamship’s discovery is immense due to its pioneering role as one of the early French passenger steamships crossing the Atlantic and representing an innovative transitional period in steamship technology, according to Eric Takajian, a crew member involved in the discovery.