STOCKHOLM, April 28, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A 16th century shipwreck providing 
"unique historical and archaeological information" has been discovered off 
Sweden's southeastern coast, officials announced on Tuesday.

The ship, which has yet to be identified, is believed to have been built in 
the late 1500s, which would make it older than Sweden's iconic 17th-century 
warship "Vasa" on display in Stockholm after being salvaged in the 1960s.

A navy vessel found the wreck during a military exercise in late 2025 in 
Kalmar Strait, located between Sweden's southeastern mainland and the Baltic 
Sea island of Oland.

"After dendrochronological analysis of part of the wreck, results indicate 
that the ship was built in the late 1500s," the County Administrative Board 
in Kalmar said in a statement, referring to the scientific method of dating 
wood and trees.

"The shipwreck is of significant cultural historical value," antiquarian 
Daniel Tedenlind said in the statement.

The site is currently under protection, monitored by the coast guard, and has 
been designated a historic monument. No diving, fishing or anchoring is 
permitted near the area.

Thanks to the Baltic Sea's unique combination of brackish water, cold, 
darkness and low oxygen, many wooden shipwrecks are preserved in good 
condition.