Storm Babet washes up '200-year-old wooden shipwreck' which killed 24 people

24 October 2023 , 07:40

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Locals believe part of a 200-year-old shipwreck has washed up in Storm Babet (Image: Teesside Live WS)

Storm Babet has thrown up part of what some believe is an abandoned 200-year-old shipwreck on a UK beach.

The mysterious wooden object comprised of planks and pegs washed up on a beach in Marske-by-the-Sea near Cleveland, Teesside, over the weekend as the storm battered parts of the British coast. Dog walkers in the coastal town were left stunned to find the object on Saturday, with speculation it came from a whaling boat from nearby Whitby - which met its fate during a similar tempest.

Some 24 people lost their lives in The Esk shipwreck in September 1826, as the boat was swept by the crashing waves onto rocks just off the coast of Marske. The boat had been returning to Whitby at the time from Greenland via the North East, and had been almost time when it met its tragic fate.

Multiple people died on The Esk after it crashed onto the rocks in a storm as it just a few miles from home (Teesside Live WS)

Tragically, only three of the crew were saved, according to historic reports. Now locals in the town believe a piece of its debris may have returned once more after Storm Babet lashed the coast on Thursday and Friday. Its identity is yet to be confirmed by historians, Teesside Live reports.

One person who posted the photos on Facebook said that "living by the sea certainly brings surprises." Another, who was speculating it could be The Esk as it appeared to be from the 17th Century, said: "[The] shaped ribs [are] closely spaced and doubled-up. Also, two planks formed/narrower and thicker than the rest. The bottom of the hull close to the centreline? All wood construction, no sign of metal."

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It comes after Storm Babet raged across the country last week, leaving behind a trail of devastation in parts. Some areas of the UK including parts of Scotland, Derbyshire and the East Midlands, have been hit by floods with homes evacuated and businesses ruined. Several people lost their lives in rising waters or high winds.

The wooden object made from old planks and pegs has piqued local dog walkers' interest (Katie Lunn/Teesside Live)

Pictures taken further up the coast from Marske show waves battering a historic lighthouse in South Shields, which had its dome damaged by the crashing waves. Remains of sunken boats have previously washed up on the same part of the coast.

Back in 2018, the remains of two boats appeared on Redcar beach - but the council did not know how old it was or who it belonged to at the time. Even then, speculation and rumours were rife about it being part of The Esk. Redcar and Cleveland Council has confirmed it is aware of the washup, with further details expected to emerge.

Susie Beever