The Department of Antiquities announced yesterday that the wreck of a Roman ship loaded with amphorae has been found in the sea off Protaras.

Volunteer divers of the underwater archaeological research team of the Maritime Archaelogical Research Laboratory reported the discovery.

The Department of Antiquities said that it acted immediately after the report in order to secure the necessary funds to cover the cost of the preliminary in situ investigation, as soon as possible.

A team of MARELab archaeologists, students and volunteers, led by the Associate Professor of Maritime Archaeology, Dr Stella Demesticha, is already in the area. The team is working on the documentation and protection of the site, in collaboration with the Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Geoinformatics of the Cyprus University of Technology, Dr Dimitris Skarlatos, and the Conservator at the Department of Antiquities,  Eleni Loizides.

This project marks a milestone for Cypriot archaeology, because it is the first time that an underwater archaeological project is fully funded by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works.