Archaeologists announced the discovery of what is believed to be the world's oldest shipwreck, a 4,700-year-old vessel found off Turkey's coast.

What it means

Archaeologists have announced the discovery of a 4,700-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Kekova Island in southern Turkey, making it the oldest known shipwreck in the world. The Early Bronze Age vessel dates to roughly the same period as the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza and is believed to be a merchant ship. The find, led by archaeologist Hakan Öniz, provides rare insight into seafaring from that era.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is well-supported: the primary source is the archaeological team's official announcement, cited by multiple major news outlets (BBC, ABC News Australia, Scientific American) quoting lead researcher Hakan Öniz. The reporting sits very close to the original announcement, though the exact dating will undergo peer review. The primary-source provenance tier reinforces high confidence in the existence and approximate age of the wreck.

How new

This story broke in mid-October 2026 and is genuinely new; the underlying discovery was announced at this time.

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• Sky News — first to publish