A shipwreck that has been left abandoned underwater for 129 years has been discovered in Cornwall.
Rachael Edmans, 36, was doing a solo dive when she came across the artefact by “pure luck”.
The mum-of-three, from Tolvaddon, Camborne, says she couldn’t believe it at first – and tried to do some digging to find out the history.
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However, she wasn’t successful – until now.
“I asked locals about it, but no one seemed to know where it was,” the avid diver told Need To Know.
“There is nothing else online about the wreck, other than an old photograph on land.
“I was excited and nervous.
“But I couldn’t help but think about the lost souls, it was sobering.
“I like to think the wrasse that swims the wreck are [their] spirits.”
Rachael first discovered the site in August 2024 but has since returned on numerous occasions.
According to Cornwall Guide, The Escurial was lost off the coast of Portreath in 1895.
Allegedly, the steamer was headed outbound from Cardiff when the weather took a bitter turn, with the threat of snow.
It’s believed 20 crew members were on board when it got into difficulty due to an engine room leak, where the Hayle lifeboat F.H. Harrison was launched to aid its recovery.
Sadly, the rescue mission wasn’t successful and only nine people survived.
The boat remained unphotographed and undocumented; until now.
Rachael, who dives as a way to relax, has taken snaps and clips of the wreckage, posting them on social media.
In one clip, she shows a glimpse of the ship, with holes, algae and rust encompassing the entire boat.
Other forms of sea life, including coral, surround the area.
She captioned the video: “It’s big enough to go inside, it was a tough dive.
“Current was strong, viz was low.
“Had to keep telling myself to chill and calm down.”
Another clip shows the bottom of the wreckage, in which many types of fish and other sea life have made their home.
Rachael added: “I take every opportunity to dive it.
“I want to map it out eventually.
“Portreath is a beautiful dive site, it’s full of life and it’s a true hidden gem.”
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