Archaeologists have identified the wreck of a impressive 18th-century Spanish warship off San Pedro de Alcántara, Marbella. The vessel is believed to be the Fernando, a ship of the line built at Esteiro in Ferrol between 1750 and 1751 and lost in 1760 during a violent storm near the Placer de las Bóvedas. Faro de Vigo reported the identification on 2 July 2026. The investigation was led by the Centro de Arqueología Subacuática of the Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico, under the Junta de Andalucía.
The remains lie in shallow waters exposed to strong coastal currents. Researchers describe the site as approximately 65 metres long and 12 metres wide. Its location and scale, the hull’s construction, the dating of artillery remains and comparisons with historical records all contribute to the identification. Specialists have known about the site since at least 2009, and technological surveys were conducted in 2015.
Basic Evidence Uncovered
Earlier interpretations linked the site to French ships lost in 1705 at the Battle of Punta Cabrita. The current identification points instead to the Fernando. The hull has a strong structure, with densely spaced frames and narrow gaps, features associated with mid-18th-century Spanish naval construction. Archaeologists also documented wooden treenails, iron fastenings and period assembly methods.
Researchers found gunports consistent with a heavily armed warship, along with internal reinforcements and artillery pieces that predate the 1765 Spanish Artillery Regulations. These features fit the vessel’s proposed construction and service period. The Fernando belonged to a generation of experimental ships commissioned during the Bourbon naval reforms under Fernando VI. Those reforms drew on English shipbuilding and were championed by the Marqués de la Ensenada and naval engineer Jorge Juan.
3D Reconstruction and Historic Clues
Photogrammetry was basic to the investigation. Researchers used more than 3,000 images to produce a three-dimensional model and orthophoto, enabling them to examine the distribution and orientation of the remains. At the stern, they identified the sternpost and metal rudder fittings. These findings match historical accounts describing serious steering problems during the storm that led to the ship’s grounding.
Further work is expected to include dendroarchaeological and isotopic analysis of wood samples. These studies can identify tree species and trace the wood’s origin, while also assessing whether the vessel was repaired during its service. The findings place the wreck within a wider programme of underwater archaeological work along the Marbella coast.
Context and Significance
The Fernando offers a window into Spanish naval engineering during the 18th century, a period of innovation and competition at sea. Its experimental design reflects the Bourbon monarchy’s efforts to modernize the fleet and compete with other European powers. The discovery also shows how underwater archaeology can combine evidence from hull construction and artefact analysis with historical records to investigate a shipwreck.
Other wreck investigations in the Marbella area concern different vessels and should be distinguished from the Fernando. A separate wreck off Cabopino has been studied by Andalusia’s underwater archaeology service using field documentation and three-dimensional modelling. An initial inspection in 2022 recorded visible remains measuring about 39 by 15 metres at an average depth of roughly six metres. The merchant vessel is thought to have sunk in 1887, and its proposed identification as the Galigniano, also rendered Garegliano or Gagliano, remains a separate research hypothesis.
Interest in the region’s heritage remains strong. Local initiatives include the celebrated Tomate Huevo de Toro season in Málaga’s Guadalhorce Valley, which brings together history and tradition through community events each summer. For more on the area’s cultural calendar, see the recent coverage of Málaga’s signature tomato festival.
As research continues, the Fernando may shed further light on the craftsmanship and operational challenges behind Spain’s naval expansion, along with the ambitions that drove it, and on the circumstances of its final voyage.
