Endurance Appointed Custodian of 1860s Shipwreck

Exploration Group, Inc., a company which performs shipwreck research, survey and recovery, was appointed, by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, as substitute custodian of the recovered hull fragment artifacts and any future artifacts recovered from the 1860s shipwreck of S.S. Connaught.

"This completes our first legal steps to establish our company as salvor-in-possession of the wreck and, depending on the nature and extent of any claims, will eventually allow us a substantial salvage claim or full title to the ship and its cargo including the gold coins we believe are still on board," said Endurance CEO, Micah Eldred. "We now move Endurance forward to fund and plan the recovery of the Connaught in the spring or summer of 2015."

Built in Ireland and launched in 1860, the 380-foot iron-hulled side-wheel steamer S.S. Connaught was lauded as one of the largest and most luxurious oceangoing liners in service, a Titanic of her time. Upon sinking on her second voyage, the S.S. Connaught became best known for her role in what has been called one of the most courageous, daring and successful rescues in maritime history. All 591 of the ships passengers were saved by the heroic effort of a tiny fruit transport ship, the Minni Schiffer and her Captain, John Wilson. The Connaught sank on her way from St. John's, Newfoundland to Boston, Massachusetts with a shipment of £10,000 of gold coins, possibly intended for the use by a visiting member of the British royal family, as well as the valuables of many of the passengers.

Eldred also said that Endurance intends to begin its search for the next target, Black Marlin, "as soon as possible." The Black Marlin is an 18th century merchant ship carried four separate silver shipments including bullion and coins. Based upon archival research, Endurance estimates the Black Marlin coin count at 400,000 to 500,000. The company has secured the legal right to locate the ship and recover her cargo while retaining 70% of its value.

Over the last five years, Endurance has developed a research database of more than 1,400 ships that are known to be lost, in the various oceans of the world, with valuable cargoes. Endurance operates the research vessel Haganes, side-scan sonar, Shackelton-1 and an ROV, Squirt.