[size=85:2db4m884]novinite 21 July 2010

Divers Discover Precious Find in Bulgaria Black Sea



A three-mast sail ship, dating from the 18th-19th century, has been found by divers 26 meters east from the Bulgarian southern Black Sea town of Sozopol.

The find has been located 90 meters below the sea level, the Bulgarian Underwater Archeology Center informs.

This is the largest sunken vessel to be located in Bulgarian waters, according to the Center – it is 50-meters long and 7-meters wide and very well preserved. The search has been assisted by the BSTD (Black Sea Technical Diving) Foundation, which aims at locating such finds.

The archaeologists say the 130-minutes dive when they studied the vessel and took pictures is only the first stage of the study and count on bringing it to end with the new modern equipment promised them by the Culture Ministry.

The finds discovered during diving expeditions can become great tourist attractions, similarly to Israel, Greece and Turkey, the Center's experts point out.