USS Monitor was discovered in 1973.
A U.S. warship has been found in “staggering condition” despite lying on the seabed off the coast of North Carolina since 1862.
In the latest expedition, Valor in the Atlantic, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries worked with the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration to survey the wreck. To their surprise, the team found that the ship was in much better condition than previously expected. They said that for the past 160 years, the warship has avoided being overwhelmed by time itself.
“This is the first time in nearly 20 years that we’ve seen the Monitor with this kind of technology, so we’re very proud to be back.”
What did you notice during the mission Valor in the Atlantic? Let us know in the comments.https://t.co/ZYlbgPml8c
† @Discover_GFOE†@noaapic.twitter.com/pFRa7AACDd
— Shrines (NOAA) (@shrines) May 19, 2022
According to news week, the Union Navy’s armored warship, USS Monitor, sank about 160 years ago 16 miles off Cape Hatteras on the coast of North Carolina. Sixteen men died after the warship was engulfed in a storm.
Also read | Colombia discovers 2 other historic shipwrecks near San Jose Galleon
The wreckage of the USS Monitor was discovered in 1973 and subsequently designated a National Marine Sanctuary in 1975. Since then, the warship has been visited as part of several expeditions to salvage the turret, propeller, and other artifacts for conservation.
Now, after an ROV, a remotely operated submersible vehicle, was used to survey the site, Tane Renata Casserley, coordinator for resource protection and permitting at NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, said: “The wreckage is in astonishing condition. after being on the seabed for 160 years and enduring all environmental conditions at Cape Hatteras, including extraordinarily strong currents and hurricanes.”
Also read | Man catches giant lobster, claims he’s 100 years old: ‘My great-grandfather probably caught him’
According to the media, Ms Casserley also added that the iron hull and armor belt built to withstand the rigors of war have now also enabled the USS Monitor to provide stable habitat in its new role as an island of to live. “It was really incredible to see the transformation at the bottom of the ocean. There was often so much marine life on the Monitor that it was difficult to see the shipwreck itself,” she added.
On this day of remembrance, we honor those who gave their lives in the service of our nation. In addition to protecting important ecosystems, @sanctuaries also to protect historical maritime heritage. Let’s go back in time and visit USS Monitor, now protected by @MonitorNMS† pic.twitter.com/WDQlVe9TKW
— Shrines (NOAA) (@shrines) May 30, 2022
The NOAA has reported healthy corals teeming with life at the wreck site, and even predators such as tiger sharks are present at the so-called “live shipwreck.” It said the USS Monitor was the oldest and most important shipwreck, as it was the first American warship built with a revolutionary rotating gun turret.
