The Biggest History News Stories Of 2019, From Tut’s Tomb To The Knights Templar

Published December 15, 2019
Updated March 12, 2024

Divers Saved 900 Bottles Of 100-Year-Old Booze Possibly Meant For The Last Russian Czar

An Ocean X team video showing the group’s efforts to salvage these century-old treasures.

In more history news, a Swedish dive team recovered 900 bottles of century-old cognac and liqueur from the bottom of the Baltic Sea, where the ship S.S. Kyros was sunk by a German U-boat in 1917.

During the 250-foot dive, researchers found 50 cases of cognac brandy and 15 cases of Benedictine herbal liqueur. They believe the stock was intended for Russian aristocracy — perhaps even for the czar himself.

“This was the last shipment for Russia, and for the czar,” said Ocean X Founder Peter Lindberg, who led the expedition. Though water pressure pushed some of the corks into the bottles and some sediment found its way inside, for the most part the booze was in good condition, thanks to the cold environment at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Divers also found parts of a German Luger pistol and a bullet. The finds suggested the Kyros may have also been transporting war supplies, which is why it was shot down by German forces in the fist place. “If it’s more than one, then it’s smuggling because it’s not on the cargo manifest,” an Ocean X member said.

The bottles aren’t just historical artifacts; salvaging them can be quite a lucrative business. Since the shipwreck and its cargo were found in international waters, international maritime rules of salvage apply, which means anyone who finds anything in those waters is legally allowed to keep whatever they want.

The value of the haul? Potentially millions of dollars — all for a heap of hold liquor bottles.

author
Natasha Ishak
author
A former staff writer for All That's Interesting, Natasha Ishak holds a Master's in journalism from Emerson College and her work has appeared in VICE, Insider, Vox, and Harvard's Nieman Lab.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.
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Ishak, Natasha. "The Biggest History News Stories Of 2019, From Tut’s Tomb To The Knights Templar." AllThatsInteresting.com, December 15, 2019, https://allthatsinteresting.com/history-news-2019. Accessed March 16, 2025.