Following A Search That Lasted Two Decades, The Wreck Of A French Steamship That Sank In 1856 Was Finally Found Off The Coast Of Massachusetts
The wreck of a French steamship was recently discovered off the coast of Massachusetts. A team of divers from Atlantic Wreck Salvage, a salvage firm based in New Jersey, found the remains of the Le Lyonnais after a two-decades-long search.
Le Lyonnais was built in 1855. According to Jennifer Sellitti, a spokesperson for Atlantic Wreck Salvage, the 260-foot vessel was designed to transport cargo and passengers between New York and France.
It was equipped with sails, a horizontal steam engine, and an iron hull, representing what was considered state-of-the-art technology at the time.
“The 1850s was the beginning of the transition from sail to steam,” Sellitti said. “This was an early attempt by France to have its first successful passenger line.”
Unfortunately, disaster struck during Le Lyonnais’ return to France after completing its maiden voyage from Le Havre to New York.
In 1856, the ship collided with the Adriatic, an American sailing vessel built in Maine and headed for Savannah, Georgia.
The collision left a gaping hole in Le Lyonnais’ hull, causing it to sink several days later. Of the 132 passengers and crew members on board, 114 lives were claimed.
The remaining survivors were picked up by another ship. Meanwhile, the Adriatic was able to return to New England for repairs.
The American captain, Jonathan Durham, was arrested and placed on trial in France. In a statement, he said the Le Lyonnais “suddenly changed her course” around 11 p.m. on a starlit but “hazy” night, making it impossible to avoid a collision.
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The collision raised questions about maritime liabilities, such as what happens when a sailing vessel and a steamship meet at sea.
The divers located Le Lyonnais by studying historical records and using sonar technology. They identified the wreck in waters 200 miles off of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in an area called Georges Bank. The key to identifying the wreck was measurements of an engine cylinder.
The exact location will not be revealed as they continue examining the wreckage. The ship is in poor condition and is likely too deteriorated to be recovered.
“The North Atlantic is a brutal place to be a shipwreck—storms, tides,” said Sellitti. “The Nantucket shoals are known for shifting sands that just completely bury wrecks.”
Although the ship is poorly preserved, its historical significance makes the discovery notable. It was one of the first French passenger steamships that was regularly scheduled to cross the Atlantic.
The next phase of the salvage work involves documenting and mapping the site of the wreckage, as well as uncovering any artifacts that can be retrieved.
“Finding it in some ways is closure, in some ways is the end. In some ways, it’s the beginning—documenting it, determining what is down there and what should be brought up,” said Sellitti. “This was a very early example of a steam engine.”
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