The Zeewijk did not break up immediately and goods, including the treasure chests, were transferred to Gun Island. It was obvious to the crew the ship could never be floated from its position locked into the reef.
Built:
1725 by Rammekens, Netherlands
Location:
Houtman Abrolhos, Gun Island
Sinking:
En route from Vlissingen to Batavia with a cargo 10 chests of silver, gold coins and general cargo and a crew of 212, when she was lost off Gun Island. 72 died when she was wrecked.
Longitude:
113.8134
Latitude:
-28.8838
Gallery
Utilising materials from the wreck and local mangrove timber the crew constructed a sloop 16.5m long, named Sloepie. It was the first boat built by Europeans in Australia. On 26 March, 88 men set off on the 1 month journey to Batavia, 6 died on the way, leaving 82 of the initial 212 to arrive in Batavia on 30 April 1728.
