Marine archaeologists have identified the remains of a 14th-century merchant vessel in the deep waters off the coast of Christmas Island. Using advanced autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), the team located the wreckage, which appears to be a royal junk linked to the Majapahit Empire. The ship's location suggests far more extensive southern maritime routes than previously recorded in historical texts.
The vessel's cargo is remarkably well-preserved due to the low-oxygen environment at great depth. Researchers have recovered hundreds of gilded terracotta figurines, intricate bronze ritual bells, and a cache of inscribed copper plates. This discovery provides the first physical evidence of formal diplomatic or trade missions from the Javanese empire reaching these remote southern latitudes during its 13th-century peak.