A shipwreck, which claimed the lives of nearly 300 people, has been hidden for 400 years off the coast of the UK.
HMS London was torn apart near Southend Pier after a gunpowder explosion, killing 276 onboard on March 7, 1665.
The vessel split into two sections before plummeting to the Thames estuary floor.
The disaster occurred whilst the crew replenished supplies during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.
Only 24 men and a single woman escaped the sinking warship alive.
The tragedy ranks amongst the most devastating naval accidents of the 17th century.
Charles II's restoration to the English throne five years earlier had brought HMS London back into service.
The monarch's economic policies antagonised Dutch commercial interests, sparking new hostilities after an earlier conflict.
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The shipwreck is hidden near Southend Pier
|WIKIMEDIA
The Royal Navy had significant maritime strength during this period, with HMS London serving as a prestigious vessel in the fleet.
England faced a dual crisis - plague ravaged the homeland whilst naval forces engaged Dutch adversaries at sea.
The warship had departed to protect English maritime interests when the fatal explosion occurred.
Divers located the remarkably intact remains in 2005, revealing one of England's most perfectly preserved historical shipwrecks.
Archaeological teams excavated the site, uncovering extraordinary artefacts that had survived over 340 years underwater.
The wreck joins an exclusive group of protected maritime heritage sites.
Of the roughly 37,000 documented shipwrecks around England, only 57 received official protection status.
Several of the materials onboard have decayed over time, but multiple objects survive.
The ship went down on March 7, 1656
|WIKIMEDIA
Rope fragments, leather footwear, and timber implements have extraordinarily survived the 17th-century vessel.
These rare artefacts now form part of Southend Museum's collection.
A decade ago, a gun carriage was lifted from the seabed in near-perfect condition and is also displayed at the museum.
The preservation quality surpasses most underwater archaeological discoveries, providing unprecedented insights into period shipboard life.