The Civil Guard recovers the anchor from one of the great shipwrecks of the 19th century

The investigation began in June this year following a complaint filed with the Galician municipality. They were alerted to a neighbor who had posted the anchor in his house. To verify these facts, the Civil Guard requested a report from the Underwater Cultural Heritage Zone of the Northern Zone of the Spanish Federation of Underwater Activities (FEDAS). This analysis determined that the located anchor is of a variety frequently used by the The Royal Navy in the 19th century.

According to testimonies obtained by the Civil Guard, said anchor was extracted in the area of ​​Cabo Vilán, in Camariñas, about 25 years agowhen a fishing boat snagged the anchor with its nets. During the maneuver, the rigging broke and the anchor returned to the bottom, although the ship’s captain noted down the coordinates to attempt a later rescue.

The man under investigation allegedly obtained the anchor some time later on a larger ship and used it as an ornament in his home. The Civil Guard, through SEPRONA, attributes an alleged crime against historical heritage, since the remains of wrecks prior to 1901 are protected by the Galician Cultural Heritage Law.

A serious shipwreck occurred in 1890

HMS Serpent was a British torpedo cruiser of nearly 2,000 tons displacement which entered service with the Royal Navy in 1888. The ship, under the command of Commander Harry L. Ross, met its end on the fateful night of November 10, 1890.

That day, in the middle of a strong storm and perhaps due to a navigation error, the ship ran aground and almost all of its crew was lost: in total, 172 of its 175 members. crew die. The remains of the ship were scattered along the coast and the crew members were buried in what is now known as the “English Cemetery” near Cape Vilan.

Galicia Cultural Heritage Law

In accordance with Law 5/2016 of May 4 on the Cultural Heritage of Galicia, the remains of shipwrecks prior to 1901 are considered protected cultural heritage. The legislation provides that any object located and taken without authorization must be confiscated and made available to the ministry responsible for cultural heritage.

As well as the anchor which is believed to belong to the wreck of HMS Serpent, officers located two other anchors whose origin is also under investigation. By order of the Court of First Instance and Instruction No. 2 of Corcubión, the anchors were transferred and deposited at the Museum of Man, in Camelle (Camariñas), where they will be preserved for a more detailed analysis.