
The Merida
was a 6,207 ton passenger-freighter sunk in 210' of water on May
12, 1911 after colliding with the SS Admiral Farragut.
Bound for New York from Cuba, the wreck was noteworthy in that of
the 320 passengers and crew on board the doomed Merida, no
lives were lost.
Rumors of a cargo of silver and copper have motivated several
salvage operations through the years. One of the most recent had
divers torching and cutting into portions of the wreck, then
proceeding to have "chunks" of the wreck hauled to the
surface for inspection. China, a few intact bottles of champagne,
and other assorted artifacts were recovered, but the long
sought-after treasure, if it ever existed, continues to elude
salvors. The wreck is contiguous, but badly mauled due to the
extensive salvage. However, divers may still find artifacts
throughout the site as it is seldom visited.