澳大利亚海洋考古团队近日在南澳近海发现了1857年暴风雨中沉没的荷兰护卫舰"康宁·威廉二世号"残骸。

这艘沉船被掩埋在罗布镇附近流动的沙层下，已隐匿超过160年。

【背景介绍】

"康宁·威廉二世号"全长42米，1840年建于南荷兰省，最初命名为"奥兰治公主号"，后为纪念荷兰国王威廉二世更名。

这艘800吨级全帆装木船以橡木建造，兼具客运与货运功能。  

【历史事件】

1857年6月，该船载运约400名中国矿工从香港出发，前往澳大利亚维多利亚金矿区。

抵达罗布后，矿工为规避维多利亚州的高额入境税，被迫徒步400公里前往矿区。

此后船只停泊在罗布附近的吉尚湾躲避恶劣天气。  

【海难经过】

1857年6月30日，强风暴摧毁了船锚绞盘（起锚机械装置），船长欣德里克·雷梅尔特·吉曾试图将船搁浅在沙洲避险。

在抢救过程中船体断裂，随行救生艇在巨浪中倾覆，25名船员中16人遇难，遗体安葬于附近沙丘。  

【搜寻挑战】

尽管沉船点近岸，但罗布湾流动的沙层不断掩埋残骸，潜水员形容水下能见度近乎零，如同"水下沙暴"，使搜寻工作异常艰难。  

【联合探索】

2022年，澳大利亚国家海事博物馆联合多家机构启动专项搜寻。

通过磁力仪探测到与沉船尺寸吻合的强磁信号，2023年3月还在附近海滩发现19世纪中国瓷器碎片。  

【重大发现】

2025年3月，利用短暂的好天气窗口，潜水员最终在距长滩约400米处发现直立沙中的铁质绞盘和保存完好的船板。

领队詹姆斯·亨特回忆："在几乎摸黑的环境里，我差点直接撞上绞盘。"  

【考古价值】

由于船只属突发性沉没，考古学家认为大量文物仍存于现场。

这些发现将为研究19世纪淘金热时期的航海史及船上生活提供珍贵资料。

目前遗址已受法律保护，后续将开展监测和文物打捞工作。  

【专家趣谈】

亨特表示虽已基本确认沉船身份，但笑称"如果能找到刻有船名的铜钟就更完美了"。

▲Image Credits: Australian National Maritime Museum/X

▲Image Credits: Australian National Maritime Museum/X

英文原文

A team of Australian maritime archaeologists has discovered the wreck of the Dutch frigate Koning Willem de Tweede, which sank off the coast of South Australia in 1857 during a violent storm. The shipwreck was buried under shifting sands near the town of Robe and remained hidden for more than 160 years.

The Koning Willem de Tweede was a 42-meter-long ship built in 1840 in South Holland, originally named Erfprinses van Oranje before being renamed to honour King William II of the Netherlands. It was an 800-ton fully rigged vessel made mostly of oak, designed to carry both passengers and cargo.

In June 1857, the ship left Hong Kong carrying about 400 Chinese gold miners bound for the Victoria goldfields in Australia. After reaching Robe, the miners disembarked and were forced to walk around 400 kilometres to the mines because this landing avoided the high taxes charged by Victoria for direct ship arrivals.

Following this, the ship stayed anchored in Guichen Bay near Robe, waiting out rough weather. On June 30, 1857, a violent storm struck the area. The storm tore off the ship’s anchor windlass- a mechanical device used to raise and lower anchors, and the anchor was lost.

The captain, Hindrik Remmelt Giezen, tried to save the vessel by deliberately grounding it on a nearby sandbank to stop it from sinking.

During this effort, the hull of the ship split in two, and it started breaking apart under the waves. Tragically, 16 of the 25 crew members died when their lifeboat capsized in the rough surf. Captain Giezen survived by holding onto a cask and was later rescued. The bodies of the drowned crew were buried in nearby dunes.

Despite the wreck being close to shore, its exact location remained a mystery for over 160 years. The bay near Robe has constantly shifting sands that bury and uncover parts of the wreck, making it difficult to find.

Divers reported that the suspended sand creates near-zero visibility, almost like an “underwater sandstorm,” making underwater searches very challenging.

In 2022, the Koning Willem de Tweede Shipwreck Project began, a joint effort by the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Silentworld Foundation, South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water, and Flinders University.

The team used magnetometers to scan the seabed, identifying a strong magnetic signal consistent with a ship about 140 feet long-the size of the Koning Willem de Tweede.

Early dives in 2023 were hampered by poor weather and low visibility, but finally, in March 2025, a calm weather window allowed divers to see the seabed clearly.

Lead researcher James Hunter reported discovering the ship’s iron windlass sticking upright in the sand, along with well-preserved wooden planks. Hunter described nearly bumping into the windlass while working in near-zero visibility.

Further supporting the wreck’s identity, researchers found pieces of 19th-century Chinese ceramics on a nearby beach in March 2023. No other large magnetic anomalies were found in the area, matching historical accounts of the shipwreck’s location.

The wreck lies roughly 1,300 feet offshore from Long Beach at Robe.

The Australian National Maritime Museum stated the wreck’s position and size is similar to the historical records of the Koning Willem de Tweede. Hunter said the team is confident in their identification but joked it would be ideal to find a ship’s bell with the name on it to confirm beyond doubt.

The site has been officially protected. Divers may visit but are advised not to disturb the wreck. Future expeditions will monitor the ship’s condition and may attempt to find more of the hull and recover artifacts.

Because the ship sank suddenly during a catastrophic event, with no time to save equipment or belongings, archaeologists believe many artifacts remain on site. These finds could provide valuable insights into the life of the crew and passengers, and the 19th-century maritime history of the gold rush era.

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