On May 22, 2025, during a SEAMAP scientific mission, the team decided to take a small detour, not initially the mission plan, driven by curiosity. They went searching, according to the advises of Karl, their boat captain, a 63-year maritime mystery: the disappearance of the Ravenel in 1962.
Equipped with SEABER’s fleet of four AUVs, they scanned 4 km² in just 3 hours using 680 kHz side-scan sonar. The analysis of the first 2 km² revealed nothing but sand—something Karl, with his decades of experience, already suspected. So they pushed further east.
Transect of the final AUV
Then, on the second transect of the final AUV, something emerged: a structure. Something that didn’t belong to the sand. They reported the discovery to Karl. The dimensions matched: 30 to 35 metres long, 7 to 8 metres wide.
Still, Karl remained cautious: "It might not be the one... but it’s definitely something." They immediately reprogrammed the AUVs for a second pass—with enhanced settings—to capture high-resolution imagery of the wreck.
Precision of autonomous technology
The thoughts are with the families, as this discovery has stirred the entire archipelago
To confirm it's the Ravenel, more missions are planned. Time (and data) will tell. But for now, they know one thing: thanks to teamwork, experience, and the precision of autonomous technology, the ocean gave they a clue.
The thoughts are with the families, as this discovery has stirred the entire archipelago. This discovery comes after extensive research conducted in 2021 and 2022, with significant state resources deployed.
Research partners
They at SEABER are proud to contribute to this effort through the SEAMAP project, combining science, history, and innovation beneath the surface.
Huge thanks to the research partners and to the people of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: Karl Beaupertuis, the boat captain of Martin-Helene, Quentin Tatibouet and Charles Goudaert from SEABER, Maïwenn Herlédan and Adrien Berne from CNRS-LEMAR and Marieke Schultz from Université de Montpellier - MARBEC. And thanks to BPI France for funding the project.
