KUDAT HAS POTENTIAL TO BECOME WRECK DIVING GEM
Area may be home to shipwrecks of historical importance
olivia@nstp.com.my
LOCATED 190km northeast of Sabah’s capital, Kudat boasts the potential to emerge as a gem for wreck diving. This follows claims that its seabed is home to undiscovered shipwrecks of historical importance.
Authorities, villagers, diving fraternity, and historians believe more shipwrecks are to found near the area as the sea was the main passing route for vessels in the past.
However, dedicated websites indicate that remnants of shipwreck sites in Kudat were looted by local fishermen and some of the ceramics from the wreckage have made their way to antique shops.
Knowing the risks of losing national treasures by over promoting the shipwrecks, researchers and the diving community choose to keep a low-profile about the area until full protection for the historical items is put in place.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah archaeologist and senior lecturer Baszley Bee Basrah Bee said there were at least 70 known shipwrecks in Sabah, 35 of which are of historical value dating from the 10th to 20th century.
He said Kudat used to serve as main maritime route via the South China Sea and Sulu Sea to Southeast Asia about 1,000 years ago.
“During the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), a Chinese outpost was built at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau in Kudat to monitor and collect tax from Chinese junks that passed through the sea route.
“The station, however, was abandoned when the Ming Dynasty implemented a closed-door policy,” he said.
The waters off Tanjung Simpang Mengayau alone have five Chinese junks from the Song Dynasty, two of which had been salvaged with permission. The shipwrecks are nicknamed Mengayau Wreck and Kudat Wreck or Dragon Jade Wreck.
Over the years, fishermen had also discovered three shipwrecks — Skulls Wreck, Tiga Papan Wreck and Cannon Wreck — with 1,000 years of history within the area, but none were salvageable as yet.
Other historical shipwrecks found in the district waters were ships belonging to Britain, Spain, the United States and Portugal, all of which originated prior to the 20th century.
There was also a discovery record of seven shipwrecks belonging to the British East India Company off Pulau Balambangan and Pulau Banggi.
The ships were identified as the Phoenix, Anstruther, General Baird ship, Thornhill, Fanny, Wilhem Ludwig and Mangsi.