What benefits come from searching for shipwrecks such as the British warship HMS Ontario that sunk into Lake Ontario in 1780?

Answer 1

Despite the fact that the HMS Ontario sank in one of the Great Lakes, the shipwreck remains the property of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense as per international law. As such, the wreck is currently considered a military grave site, barring excavation and marine salvage without the express permission of the Admiralty Board.

However, because of the conditions in the waters of Lake Ontario, researchers believe that the sloop could potentially be one of the most well-preserved exhibitions of a sunken British sailing warship ever discovered. Some benefits of searching through the wreck include research into how marine life adapt to the new environments (such as was the case in the search through the RMS Titanic), as well as further insight into the life of a Royal Navy sailor in the age of sailing.

Controversies surround excavation prospects though, as the wreck also serves as the burial site for over 100 men who were on board the Ontario when it sank.