Wreck hunters discover 17th century Barbary corsair in deep sea

Remains of a small 17th-century pirate ship have been discovered in deep waters between Spain and Morocco by wreck-hunters.

The ship, known as a Barbary corsair, lies in the Strait of Gibraltar at a depth of 830 meters (2,700 feet). The ship itself is about 14 meters long (45 feet). 

Maritime archaeologist Sean Kingsley, the editor-in-chief of the Wreckwatch magazine and the researcher on the rediscovery of the Barbary corsair told LiveScience that the shipwreck is “the first Algiers corsair found in the Barbary heartland.” 

The revelation of the Corsair wreck is only being publicised now through an article issued by the Stemm in Wreckwatch after thorough research and confirming its authenticity. 

Interestingly, the Barbary corsair pirates for the most part were Muslims, who began piracy out of Algiers in the 15th century. The concerned region was part of the Ottoman Empire. 

The western coastline of North Africa, from modern-day Morocco to Libya was known as the Barbary Coast and the pirates who sailed on the routes were a threat to the people for more than 200 years. 

They indulged in slave raids and attacked ships crossing their paths on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe. 

The people caught were sold into the North African slave trade and the horrendous trade continued in some Muslim countries until the early 20th century as per LiveScience. 

However, in the 19th century, the Barbary corsairs pirates were defeated in the Barbary Wars by the United States, Sweden and Norman Kingdom of Sicily in southern Italy.