Marine archaeologists have discovered the wreck of the Danish warship Dannebroge, sunk by Admiral Horatio Nelson's fleet during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. The find was announced on the 225th anniversary of the battle, following months of underwater excavations in Copenhagen harbour.
The 48-metre flagship was Nelson's main target. Cannon fire tore through its upper deck and incendiary shells sparked a fire, eventually causing the ship to explode. Divers have uncovered cannons, uniforms, shoes, bottles, and part of a sailor's lower jaw, likely belonging to one of the 19 unaccounted-for crew members.
Working in thick sediment with near-zero visibility at a depth of 15 metres, the team from Denmark's Viking Ship Museum is racing against time. The site will soon be enveloped by construction for Lynetteholm, a new housing district expected to be completed by 2070.
Morten Johansen, head of maritime archaeology at the museum, said the wreck offers a chance to understand what it was like to be aboard a ship being shot to pieces. The battle, which saw thousands killed and wounded, forced Denmark out of an alliance of northern European powers and is believed to have inspired the phrase 'to turn a blind eye'.
