Search for Columbus-era shipwrecks off Puerto Plata enters decisive phase in 2027

The search for shipwrecks linked to Christopher Columbus’ voyages off the coast of La Isabela, Puerto Plata, will enter a decisive phase in 2027 after underwater exploration missions identified more than 40 anomalies that could correspond to submerged cultural heritage.

The project, carried out by UNESCO, the Dominican Republic and Spain, seeks to determine whether the remains of ships associated with Columbus’ second voyage to the Americas in 1493 are still preserved in the area, which was the site of La Isabela, one of the first permanent Spanish settlements in the Americas. The investigation could also uncover shipwrecks dating from the 16th to 18th centuries.

Two underwater missions, conducted in 2024 and 2026, detected irregularities on the seabed. UNESCO Culture Officer Alejandro Gumá Ruiz said further excavation will be necessary to determine whether they are archaeological remains.

A joint UNESCO-Spanish commission is expected to meet in early 2027 to determine whether sufficient funding is available for the excavation stage. Potential discoveries could include remains of Spanish galleons and other historically significant vessels.

Under the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, authorities prioritize preserving archaeological remains in their original underwater environment whenever possible rather than removing them.

The international research team includes specialists from institutions in the Dominican Republic, Spain, Mexico, Argentina and the United States. The findings could also strengthen La Isabela’s candidacy to become the Dominican Republic’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site, following the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, which was inscribed in 1990.

UNESCO also warned that climate change poses a growing threat to underwater heritage, as ocean acidification and increasingly frequent hurricanes can accelerate the deterioration of submerged archaeological sites. The organization stressed the need for stronger legal protections against treasure hunting and better strategies to preserve underwater cultural heritage.