Kingston Images

Archaeological expeditions often require creativity and adaptation, especially when searching for 500-year-old shipwrecks. The international team hunting for Cortés' scuttled fleet transforms local fishing boats into sophisticated research vessels, loading them with air tanks, magnetometers, and other specialized equipment. This collaboration between foreign researchers and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) exemplifies how modern archaeology bridges international expertise with local knowledge. The team's resourceful approach mirrors the ingenuity of Cortés himself, who made the bold decision in 1519 to sink his own ships, eliminating any possibility of retreat and committing his men to the conquest of the Aztec Empire.