Construction workers laying undersea cables for a North Sea offshore wind project have uncovered the wreck of a wooden ship believed to be roughly 300 years old on the beach of Norderney, a German Wadden Sea island. The vessel is thought to be Dutch in origin.
Grid operator Amprion said construction work, which began earlier this month, has been temporarily halted following the find. Archaeologists estimate the ship was approximately 15 metres long and five metres wide. Sections of the wreck that were exposed at the surface have already been recovered and removed from the site.
The discovery was made during cable-laying operations connecting an offshore wind park to the mainland grid. It remains unclear whether further excavation will be required before work can resume.