by Rod Mather, University of Rhode Island
July 27, 2019
Image courtesy of ThayerMahan, Inc., Kraken Robotics, and the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Download larger version (jpg, 7.6 MB).
During the first leg of the 2019 Technology Demonstration, the team on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer used Kraken Robotics/ThayerMahan's towed KATFISH™ with synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) to image a previously unidentified shipwreck south of Nantucket.
The vessel appears to the remains of a 20th century freighter that turned turtle and broke apart during the wrecking process. The vessel’s bow is separated from the rest of the hull and now rests on its port side. There are at least three other major athwartships cracks. The lower hull has collapsed in many areas, exposing part of the propulsion system in the stern.
The imagery is sufficiently high resolution for archaeologist to examine individual frames and hull plates. There appears to be a minimal debris field. The site certainly warrants further investigation.
Image courtesy of ThayerMahan, Inc., Kraken Robotics, and the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Download larger version (jpg, 7.4 MB).
