In August of last year, UNESCO undertook an ambitious initiative to map and document underwater cultural heritage in the Mediterranean. The first survey focused on Skerki Bank, in Tunisian waters, and extended to the Sicilian Channel. The objective was to create a comprehensive map of the area and record wrecks that emerged as some of the world’s most significant underwater heritage sites, as stated by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
Spain joined the international effort through Alicante and Casa Mediterráneo, with photographer Ángel Fitor, who specializes in underwater imagery, contributing to the expedition. Spain’s involvement aligns with participation from France, Italy, Croatia, and Tunisia. The results of the survey are expected to be announced on Thursday, with UNESCO’s international headquarters located in Paris.
Ángel Fitor and Andrés Perelló, the managing director of Casa Mediterráneo, were slated to present the project at Casa Mediterráneo on Tuesday, with Rafael Arjones involved in the presentation.
According to Perelló, there are significant hidden treasures to be found, and UNESCO aims to declare Skerki a World Heritage Site. He noted that such a designation could open doors to further collaborative projects, and Spain has already positioned itself to be a Mediterranean reference through Casa Mediterráneo and Alicante.
stake
The project involves a total funding of 20,000 dollars for Fitor’s intervention and includes contributions from Spain. It comprises two complementary components: documenting protection status and cataloging shipwrecks already listed as having very high historical value, with discoveries attributed to researchers including Robert Ballard. Ballard is known for locating the Titanic and, in the 1990s, identifying three Roman wrecks off Sicilian waters at depths around 800 meters. The team compared archival photographs with contemporary images to assess changes or damage, as Fitor explains.
A second component focuses on exploring Skerki Bank to reveal hidden wrecks and the conditions that led to their sinking. Perelló explains that the Mediterranean shoreline historically separated into two basins, and dangerous reefs and strong currents and winds in the area contributed to numerous shipwrecks.
Surveys were conducted using two remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) capable of reaching difficult areas. The robot Arthur, used to document sunken ships off the Italian continental shelf discovered by Ballard, enabled high-resolution photos and videos and aided in dating cargo aboard the ships.
On the Tunisian continental shelf, archaeologists relied on a versatile sonar and a cooperative surface team to verify targets mapped previously and to document dangerous navigation zones. The expedition also permitted the documentation of three new shipwrecks, spanning from ancient times to more modern periods, highlighting broader archaeological interests.
In this manner, shipwrecks have been documented—from Phoenician-era vessels to World War II wrecks—showcasing a long temporal arc of maritime activity in the region.
photos and exhibition
Ángel Fitor’s role has been to document the expedition through photography aboard Alfred Merlin, the French science vessel used for the project. He notes that the work captured not only technical aspects and advanced equipment but also the human dimension—the international collaboration and context were especially enriching on multiple levels.
Approximately 6,000 photographs were taken, with about 50 selected for an exhibition during the international project presentation at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters. The exhibit aims to convey both domestic and cooperative facets of the expedition, featuring imagery produced by high-generation underwater robots and complemented by a documentary projection filmed by a team during the voyage.
Perelló expresses hope that the project will eventually be presented at Casa Mediterráneo to amplify its visibility, describing the mission as the first step in a lasting multilateral cooperative relationship across the Mediterranean.