Lost Spanish Privateer Ship ‘La Fortuna’ Unearthed Off North Carolina Coast

Archaeologists have located four submerged vessels dating back to the 18th century off the coast of North Carolina, with preliminary findings suggesting one may be the wreck of La Fortuna, a Cuban-based privateer that suffered an explosive demise during a raid in 1748. The discovery occurred near Brunswick Town, a historically significant Colonial port situated on the southern reaches of North Carolina’s coastline. This settlement marked the initial successful European foothold in the Cape Fear region—named for early sailors’ anxieties regarding shipwrecks—and served as a key export hub for timber products such as tar and turpentine, essential supplies for the Royal Navy.

The unexpected scale of the find became apparent during routine surveying; low underwater visibility within the Cape Fear River initially hampered efforts. Graduate student Cory van Hees from East Carolina University (ECU) reported becoming disoriented while diving when he encountered submerged wooden beams. “I didn’t immediately recognize what I was seeing,” van Hees recounted, “but felt compelled to report this unusual timber structure to my supervisors.”

Jason Raupp and Jeremy Borrelli, co-leaders of the ECU maritime archaeology project, believe that one wreck, comprised of 47 preserved timbers, is likely La Fortuna. Historical records indicate two Spanish vessels anchored near Brunswick Town in September 1748. Following a period of looting, the ships were met with a surprise counterattack from Colonial forces, resulting in an explosion and the sinking of La Fortuna.

Supporting this identification are two critical pieces of evidence: the timber construction and nearby artifacts including fragments of Spanish pottery. Analysis reveals that some of the ship’s wood originates from cypress species native to Central America—a detail suggesting its construction utilized raw materials sourced from a Spanish Caribbean colony. Currently, La Fortuna remains the only known Spanish vessel lost in this geographic area.

The research team has recovered hundreds of artifacts, including ceramic shards, glass bottles, clay pipes, a cooper’s adze, barrel components, sailcloth, footwear, possible fabric remnants, and animal bones. The presence of 18th-century Spanish-American ceramics further bolsters the hypothesis regarding La Fortuna‘s identity.