Polish Divers Discover 19th-Century Shipwreck Loaded With 100 Bottles Of Champagne In Baltic Sea

Polish divers from the Baltitech group discovered a shipwreck 20 nautical miles south of Sweden’s Öland island.

Initially thought to be a fishing boat, the wreck was a sailing ship "loaded to the brim" with champagne, wine, mineral water, and porcelain.

Divers found over 100 bottles of champagne and cartons of mineral water. Leader Tomasz Stachura, a diver for 40 years, was astonished by the find.

The clay water bottles, stamped with the German brand Selters, dated the wreck to between 1850 and 1867.

The cargo might have been intended for Russian Tsar Nicholas I, who lost a ship in the area in 1852.

The wreck, lying 58m underwater in cold, dark conditions, is perfect for preserving such cargo. Wine writer Henry Jeffreys notes that 19th-century champagne, often sweetened with brandy and sugar, may still be drinkable.

The treasure remains underwater as archaeologists and Swedish authorities plan the retrieval. Careful planning is essential for this 170-year-old discovery.