Shipwrecks possibly connected to Spanish ship attacked in 18th century discovered by ECU students on NC coast

Keaton Eberly
Wed, August 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM EDT
NC coast

WINNABOW, N.C. (WNCN) — A team of archaeologists with East Carolina University recently made a historic discovery off the North Carolina coastline, uncovering the remains of four shipwrecks dating back to the 18th century.

The archeology group, which is a part of the ECU program in maritime studies, foraged the shoreline near the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site in Brunswick County in May and June. During their excavation, the team recorded wood samples from the newly discovered shipwrecks that suggest that shipbuilders incorporated raw materials from Spanish Caribbean colonies in the 1700s.

“We are extremely excited about these important sites, as each one will help us to better understand the role of [Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson] as one of the state’s earliest colonial port towns,” said Jason Raupp, ECU assistant professor in the department of history and maritime studies, who led the team. “These submerged colonial waterfront features are incredibly well-preserved and present an excellent opportunity for ECU students to engage in hands-on, collaborative research.”

Although more work needs to be conducted to confirm the identity of the remains, the university said its archaeologists think they found the leftovers from La Fortuna. This was a Spanish privateer from Cuba that exploded near the colonial wharves at Brunswick Town during an attack on the port at the end of King George’s War in September 1748.
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/shipwrecks-possibly-connected-spanish-ship-191848177.html