23 January 2010, it is almost certainly the wreck of the “Produgal”, the ship lying on the seabed of the port of Messina, the second day of diving gave us more details on the wreck itself, details that compared with the data in our possession from the registers Of the time allow us to affirm with good certainty that the wreck identified in the navigation structure can be treated precisely the Russian ship “Produgal”.

From the naval registers of the time and from the constructive plans in our possession the ship was 297 feet long (90, 6MT) and wide 40 feet (12.2 mt), a dive made a few hours ago by a team of NS sub revealed to us that the wreck lying inside the port of Messina was measured In 91.5 meters. This measurement was carried out in two parts measuring from the chimney vs. Prora and vs aft. The ship also has many characteristics corresponding to the construction plans.

A penetration into the engine room (in which there was a lot of suspension) allowed to establish that the propulsion unit is triple expansion, just as reported on the registers of the time, the shape of the stern is elliptical as reported on the registers of 1895 of this ship when it was still called “Ruskin” and had English flag.

In the stern holds it is still present in its original housing the propeller of respect to 4 blades, there are many portholes equipped with glass, the main propeller is present and it is buried semi-covered for a few meters, in the kitchens there are still crockery. The deck plan at the bow is at a depth of-56mt and lies on a backdrop of about 65m Mt. The ship is in a navigation position with the stern facing the mainland, from the newspapers of the time the ship was dry in the basin for some work of modification (in July of 1908 had been bought Dalal Svorono of Pollone) and from what it tells Constantine Doresa, who was at the Hotel Trinacria in Messina during the days of the earthquake to take care of these works on the ship, the tidal wave generated by the earthquake tore the ship from the mainland and the rush into the water, causing the subsequent sinking.

Ecosfera continues until Tuesday the research activity on the Produgal in order to collect as many elements to share with the competent authorities in order to add other dowels to the history of this sea.

Below is a graphical representation of the ship and identifying elements recorded and documented during the Mission: