Captain Morgan's Ship Found, Thanks to Rum

How’s this for marketing genius: Archeologists are reasonably certain they’ve discovered one of the lost ships of infamous privateer Henry Morgan—in an expedition financed in part by Captain Morgan rum. “There’s definitely an irony in the situation,” one archeologist tells Discovery News. Morgan lost five ships in his raid on Panama City in 1671, including his flagship. Now, divers have found the starboard hull of one of them near the Lajas Reef, along with some crates of cargo.

Some months back the expedition had found a number of cannons in the area, but it ran out of funds before finding the ship itself. Smelling opportunity, the rum maker rushed to the rescue. “It was a natural fit for us,” Captain Morgan’s brand director says. “This mission will help bring Henry Morgan and his adventures to life.” They’re clearly hoping to find some liquor in those cargo crates, but the archeologists are just thrilled by the discovery. “The story is the treasure,” one said.