A ship believed to have been captained by the notorious Captain Kidd has been discovered by Indiana University archeologists off the coast of Dominican Republic. While many news outlets have covered the story, a more detailed report can be found at Time.com here.

The barnacled cannons and anchors found stacked beneath just 10 feet of crystalline coastal waters off Catalina Island are believed to be the wreckage of the Quedagh Merchant, a ship abandoned by the Scottish privateer in 1699, Indiana University researchers say.

This ship has apparently been untouched by looters, a real rarity in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean.

Historian Richard Zacks, who wrote a book about the seafaring privateer called "The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd, said the Scotsman had captured the 500-ton Moorish ship in the Indian Ocean but left it in the Caribbean in 1699 as he traveled to New York to try and clear his name of criminal charges.

Whether Captain Kidd was a privateer or a true pirate is the subject of a lot of debate among historians. Kidd was hanged in 1701 after his conviction for piracy.

 

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