La Salle’s Griffin shipwreck thought to be discovered in Great Lakes

Divers recently uncovered what they believe to be remains of the Griffin, a sailing ship of the French explorer La Salle, in a remote area in northern Lake Michigan, reports the Associated Press. The Griffin was built near Niagara Falls in 1679 and was the first European-style sailing vessel on the upper Great Lakes. La Salle used it to explore the Great Lakes region and trade with Native Americans before it was sunk.

Expedition leader Steve Libert first found evidence of the wreck in 2001. Initial testing of pieces suggested an age consistent with it being the Griffin. Returning with a team in 2013, divers have been using a variety of remote sensing and sonar equipment to try to identify and preserve the remains.

Image: A 1697 woodcut of the Griffin (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)