The Seabourn Pursuit made a historic discovery on October 14, 2024, uncovering the wreck of the German supplier ship Titania, which had been lost for 110 years, according to a press release.

Found 95 meters below the surface near Alejandro Selkirk Island in Chile’s Juan Fernández Archipelago, this marks the first sighting of the Titania since it was scuttled in 1914.

Seabourn was able to find the ship with its submarine, which is a key part of the expedition offering.

“Experiences like these are a testament to the spirit of expedition, and this discovery is nothing short of historic,” said Robin West, vice president and general manager of expeditions at Seabourn.

“Seabourn’s expeditions and particularly our submarine explorations often take our guests to places where no other human has ever explored. I am so incredibly proud of our expedition team for delivering this once-in-a-lifetime and truly unforgettable ‘Seabourn Moment’ to our guests and the local community on Selkirk Island.”

The discovery of the Titania was made possible by the submarine team’s research and collaboration with local communities. Submarine Pilot Mauricio Fernandez, along with team members Kieran Buckley, Henrik Enckell and Isaac Yebra, worked closely with local fisherman Gino Perez, who had knowledge of the wreck’s approximate location. Perez joined the dive and guided the team to the site, where they found the Titania 95 meters deep, 4.25 nautical miles off the northwest coast of Alejandro Selkirk Island. The island’s harbor master confirmed that the wreck had never been visited before.

Fernandez said: “We were there witnessing history, and our guests had the chance to be a part of this discovery of Titania and the first to see this ship after she sank to the bottom of the ocean 110 years ago. This was truly a special moment of discovery and a perfect example of how Seabourn expeditions continue to provide our guests with incredible Seabourn Moments throughout each journey.”  

Guests described the discovery of the Titania as a magical and extraordinary moment. Irene Blum, who was aboard the submarine during the find, expressed awe at the experience saying “It was almost magical. It really was quite extraordinary.” 

Fisherman Gino Perez said the moment was particularly emotional. He shared how he had imagined the ship many times and thanked the team for helping him finally see it, noting its significance for his family, as his father manages that area of the island. The Titania, scuttled on November 19, 1914, had been the subject of local stories, with fishermen occasionally finding metal fragments believed to be from the wreck. However, it had never been officially located until this discovery.

The discovery occurred during Seabourn Pursuit’s South Pacific voyage, which covered over 4,000 miles between Melanesia, French Polynesia and Chile.