In Sweden, wreck could be sistership to iconic vessel

STOCKHOLM – A marine archaeologist says one of two shipwrecks found in Stockholm’s archipelago could be the sister ship of a famed 17th-century Swedish warship that sank on its maiden voyage.

Jim Hansson says divers found the vessels on Tuesday off Vaxholm island, an area where several ships — including the Applet, sister ship of the Vasa — are known to be at the bottom of the sea.

Hansson said Friday it was “incredibly cool” to swim inside a ship resembling the Vasa, which was largely intact when raised in 1961 and now has its own museum.

The Vasa sank in 1628, minutes after leaving port as the pride of the Swedish navy. It keeled over, lacking the ballast to counterweight its heavy guns.