The Calypso, Jacques Cousteau’s ship, sank in 1996 after a collision. It was later raised and underwent a long restoration process.
Jacques Cousteau’s famed research vessel, the Calypso, was a converted British minesweeper that became synonymous with his pioneering oceanographic work. The ship was equipped with a mobile laboratory for underwater field research and was also a floating base for diving and filming the mysteries of the ocean depths.
Tragically, in January 1996, the Calypso met with an accident in the port of Singapore when it was accidentally rammed by a barge, causing it to take on water and sink. Efforts were quickly made to salvage the vessel, and it was raised from the seabed two weeks after the incident.
Following the accident, the Calypso underwent a series of legal battles and ownership disputes, which delayed its restoration for many years. The ship was left languishing in a state of disrepair until an agreement was finally reached for its complete restoration.
The restoration process aimed to return the Calypso to its former glory and make it seaworthy again. The plan was not only to restore the ship’s structure and machinery but also to update its equipment to continue Cousteau’s legacy of marine exploration and education. The restoration has been a lengthy and complex process, with the goal of eventually returning the Calypso to the seas as a symbol of environmental preservation and research, continuing to inspire future generations.
