The Madagascar in 1837
Captain
Fortescue William Harris
The Madagascar at Hobsons Bay Victoria in 1853
Gold ship Madagascar found
by an international team
The Blackwall frigate Madagascar was a large British merchant ship built in 1837. She disappeared without trace on a voyage from Melbourne to London in 1853, loaded with two tons of gold and 60,000 gold Sovereigns. An value estimated today at more than US$ 150 million...
The disappearance of the Madagascar was one of the greatest maritime mysteries in history. But her wreck has been located and identified with certainty two years ago by an international team. An exceptional discovery
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The Madagascar in 1837 |
Captain
Fortescue William Harris |
The Madagascar at Hobsons Bay Victoria in 1853 |
A valuable cargo...
The Madagascar was built for George and Henry Green at the Blackwall Yard, London. As a result of the Victorian Gold Rush the Madagascar was sent to Melbourne with emigrants under the command of Captain Fortescue William Harris. She left Plymouth on 11 March 1853 and, after an uneventful passage of 87 days, reached Melbourne Australia on the 10th of June 1853.
There, the Madagascar loaded a cargo including a box of specie, 8 boxes of silver, 9 boxes of Sovereigns (about 60,000 gold coins) and 86 boxes of gold dust and nuggets for a total weight of 68,390 ounces (about two tons) belonging to several British banks and assured by wellknown insurances companies. Nowadays, the value of this cargo could be estimated up to US$ 150 million. That is without counting the personal gold carried by some of the 110 passengers who had made their fortune in the diggings and were returning home as rich men.
The Madagascar left Melbourne on 12 August 1853 and after leaving Port Phillip Heads she sailed into oblivion…
There was much debate and speculation about her loss and many theories abound about her fate and possible location of the wreck. But none of them has never been proven. Until now !
In 2009, after more than 15 years of intensive researches, the wreck was finally located and identified by an international team of researchers who are dedicated to revealing the story of the vessel and the fate of its passengers and crew in an amazing documentary involving a survey of the wreck site, for the 160th anniversary of the Madagascar’s tragic loss. The project is seeking interested parties in the sponsorship of the film and shipping for 2013. For media and sponsorship, please contact the World Prospecting Enterprises (WPE) agent :
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ShipMadagascar.com - The official Website dedicated to the discovery and preservation of the shipwreck of the Madagascar, located in 2009 by an international team of researchers.