HMS DeBraak
Naval Sloop-Of-War · United Kingdom · Lost 1798 · Delaware Bay & the Approaches
A British Royal Navy sloop that capsized in a squall off Cape Henlopen in 1798 while carrying rich prize cargo, later salvaged in a controversial 1980s operation.
The Vessel and Her Loss
HMS DeBraak was a Dutch-built brig-sloop taken into Royal Navy service and famed for capturing a rich Spanish prize during the Anglo-Spanish War. In May 1798, entering Delaware Bay, she was struck by a sudden squall and capsized, killing about 35 of her crew. The wreck lay undisturbed for nearly two centuries until it was located and aggressively salvaged in the 1980s, an operation whose damaging methods became a national controversy. That controversy helped spur passage of the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987.
Vessel
- 1781
- Not established
- Netherlands
- Wood
- 85 ft
- Not established
- Not established
- Sail
- Royal Navy
Loss
- May 25, 1798
- Storm
- Delaware Bay near Cape Henlopen, Delaware
- Delaware Bay
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Prize goods from a captured Spanish vessel, including precious metals
- Not established
- 35
- Commander James Drew
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Heavily disturbed by salvage operations in the 1980s.
- Not established
- 1984
- Managed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Position
- 38.78° N 75.09° W
- Approximate position
- Cape Henlopen, Delaware
General area of loss and salvage near Cape Henlopen.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Loss, salvage, and legal legacy.
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Shipwreck law context and archaeological significance.
