Australia announces discovery of Endeavour ship in R.I. waters, local archaeologist say claim is ‘premature’

NEWPORT, R.I. (WLNE)- Australian maritime experts say that a historic ship has been discovered off the waters of Rhode Island, but local archaeologist are pushing back.

On Thursday morning, chief executive of the Australian National Maritime Museum Kevin Sumption held a news conference announcing that James Cook’s HMB Endeavour is resting in Newport Harbor.

Sumption deemed the ship as one of the ‘most important and contentious vessels in Australia’s maritime history.’

The executive director of the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project Dr. Kathy Abbass says Australian claims that the Endeavour has been identified are premature, and that there has been no indisputable data found to prove that the site is the wreck of the HMB Endeavor.

There has been a collaborative search effort between Australian and U.S. experts in an area of Newport Harbor for years.

The ship was used by James Cook to sail around the South Pacific in 1770, claiming Australia for the British.

The ship was believed to have been deliberately sunk during the American Revolution, after being used as a British prison ship.

“The Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project (RIMAP) is now and always has been the lead organization for the study in Newport harbor. The ANMM announcement today is a breach of the contract between RIMAP and the ANMM for the conduct of this research and how its results are to be shared with the public,” says Dr. Abbass in a statement.

No official report has been posted by RIMAP as of now.

This is a developing story, check back to ABC6 for updates.