17th-century Dutch Shipwreck Found Off South Africa

Archaeologists in South Africa have found the long-lost wreck of a Dutch merchant ship that played a crucial role in the country's colonial history.

The Dutch East India Company vessel “Haarlem” or “Nieuw Haarlem,” wrecked in Table Bay on the evening of March 25, 1647. The African Institute for Marine and Underwater Research Exploration and Education (AIMURE) explains that, while 58 people traveling on the ship were taken back to Europe by other merchant vessels, 62 were left behind to salvage as much of the ship's cargo as possible.