Sailing-ship dating back to beginning of St Petersburg's construction found in Baltic sea

Participants in the undersea archaeological expedition of the Memory of Baltic society completed their work in the Vyborg bay near St Petersburg, RIA Novosti learned from its head, reserve counter-admiral Konstantin Shopotov.

The work devoted in 2003 to St Petersburg's 300th anniversary was very difficult, hindered by constant wind and low water temperature: at the 12-meter depth, where divers worked, it was about 6 degrees above zero, he explained.

However, "the great advantage of the research was that for the first time the archaeologists had a side-scan sonar which enabled them to make preliminary research of the bottom," Shopotov said.

The expedition worked in the Vyborg bay near Paasluota draw, where in 1995 the society found the Swedish battle ship Lovisa Ulrika that sank on June 22, 1790, during the Vyborg battle.

According to the plan found in the Russian Navy state archive, several other Swedish ships, including the 44-cannon frigate Uppland sank in this area.

The most interesting finding was made near the Dalnyaya bay. There the expedition found a wooden sailing ship. Experts believe it is a Russian cargo ship, it had well-processed granite blocks on board. They may have come from stone-pits situated near the bay, where during the first years of St Peterburg's construction granite was extracted to be sent to the new capital.

All findings of the expedition have been sent to the Undersea Archaeology Museum.