The Russian armoured cruiser with a mysterious history was discovered after being lost for 113 years

On July 14-15, 2018, a Canadian marine exploration company, Nuytco Research Ltd., helped discover a Russian navy ship Dmitrii Donskoi, sunk near the coast of the South Korean island Ulleungdo during the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.

According to the Shinil Group, the South Korean salvaging company which gathered ocean experts from South Korea, Canada and the UK for this mission, the Donskoi exploration was a result of a year-long preparatory work. On July 14, two Canadian “DeepWorker” submarines searched the estimated area of sinking and immediately found the ship. The next day, when the vessel’s name was detected, it was confirmed as Donskoi. “The bottom of Donskoi is about 40 degrees on the slope of the seabed with its stern 380 meters below the water level, and its bow is at 430 meters. One-third of the stern is bombarded, and the hull is severely damaged. However, the upper deck of the wooden hull is almost untouched. The armour on the side of the hull is also well preserved, while the anchors, guns and machine guns remain in place. In addition, all three of the masts and the two chimneys are broken, there was also a partial attacked trail of marking on the sides,” says the news release as of July 17. As reported by the National Post, the company stated that it hoped to raise the ship in October or November of this year.

Dmitrii Donskoi, the Imperial Russian Navy armoured cruiser, was built in 1885. Some rumours, which historians try to debunk, say that tons of gold that would now be worth of $170 billion were transported by this ship. Many boxes were discovered in the stern, although none of them has been opened yet. As assumed by the CTV News, if the treasure is found, it is expected to be divided between Russia, South Korea and the company credited with its discovery.