shipwrecks

The village was once a rival to London and an important medieval hub. But a series of unfortunate storms meant much of it was lost to the sea and now lies under the water

A tiny village that was once a medieval port and considered the capital of East Anglia is the perfect day out for history buffs or those who love quiet, windswept beaches.

In Anglo-Saxon times, Dunwich on the Suffolk coast was the heart of what was then called the Kingdom of the East Angles. Its international port was considered a rival to London, and the Domesday Book of 1086 revealed it had a population of over 3,000 people. This was a time when London’s population was just 18,000.

However, the town’s fortunes changed in 1286 when a storm surge hit the area, followed by two large weather fronts the next year. This caused major coastal erosion, which led to large parts of the town being submerged underwater. In 1347, it’s thought that 400 homes were swept into the sea, with most of the remains of the town destroyed in 1362 in Saint Marcellus’s flood. Around 25,000 people across Europe lost their lives in the tragic event.

Because of its unique past, Dunwich is often dubbed the ‘lost city of England’ and draws comparisons to the legendary island of Atlantis, which, according to myths, sank under the sea.

Dunwich Museum is a great way to learn about life before the floods. Researchers have mapped out where the old homes and buildings used to stand before they were lost to the sea, and you can see these maps at the museum. There are also many interesting displays about medieval life and artefacts from the time.

Only a few ruins remain from medieval times. One of the most complete buildings is the Greyfriars monastery. This was built around half a mile inland, after the original monastery closer to the coast was lost. The ruins include the grand entrance to the monastery and part of the refectory where the monks would eat.

National Trust’s Dunwich Heath and Beach is an unspoilt spot with some beautiful walking trails. The Heath is full of rare wildlife and birds, and you may be able to spot red deer and otters on your stroll. Dunwich’s wide shingle beach is a popular spot for fishing and paddling in the sea.

Not all ships en route to Dunwich made it safely, and researchers have worked to uncover a large number of shipwrecks off the coast. According to the East Anglian Daily Times, there could be as many as hundreds of ships in a shipwreck graveyard off the coast, many of which sank during World War I when shipping routes were attacked.

Once you’re finished exploring, visit Flora Tea Rooms, a traditional fish and chip restaurant on the beach that also serves British classics such as afternoon tea. The village has one pub, The Ship at Dunwich, a cosy spot with a beer garden and beautiful countryside views. It also has 16 rooms if you decide to stay and enjoy this peaceful village for longer.

Dunwich is also close to the RSPB Minsmere, a coastal nature reserve that includes areas of woodland, reedbeds, grassland, and heathland. Among the unspoilt landscape, you can spot wildlife, from a vast array of coastal birds to Water Voles.

UN agency IOM says 743 people have died so far this year attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

At least 60 refugees and migrants are feared missing and drowned at sea after two shipwrecks off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said, after attempting the perilous crossing to Europe.

“With dozens feared dead and entire families left in anguish, IOM is once again urging the international community to scale up search and rescue operations and guarantee safe, predictable disembarkation for survivors,” Othman Belbeisi, the regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

One shipwreck occurred on June 12 near Alshab port in Tripolitania, the United Nations agency said. Only five survivors were found and 21 people were reported missing. Among those feared dead are six Eritreans, including three women and three children, five Pakistanis, four Egyptians and two Sudanese men. The identities of four others remain unknown.

The second incident occurred on June 13, approximately 35km (22 miles) west of Libya’s Tobruk. According to the sole survivor, who was rescued by fishermen, 39 people are missing.

At least 743 people have died so far this year attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, including 538 on the Central Mediterranean route, which remains the deadliest known migration route in the world.

In recent years, the European Union has increased efforts to reduce such migration, including by providing equipment and financial support to the Libyan coastguard, a quasi-military organisation linked to militias accused of abuses and other crimes.

NGOs say the phasing out of state-run search and rescue operations has made journeys across the Mediterranean more dangerous. They have also denounced what they see as punitive action by states against charities operating in the Mediterranean.

As a result, many people fleeing conflict and persecution have found themselves stranded in Libya, often held in detention in conditions that rights groups describe as inhumane.

Libya, which is still struggling to recover from years of war and chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi, has been criticised for its treatment of refugees and migrants.

Accusations from rights groups range from extortion to slavery, while smugglers and human traffickers have also taken advantage of the climate of instability in the country.

UNHCR says two shipwrecks on May 9 and 10 could be the ‘deadliest tragedy at sea’ involving Rohingya so far this year.

At least 427 Rohingya, Myanmar’s Muslim minority, may have perished at sea in two shipwrecks on May 9 and 10, the United Nations said, in what would be another deadly incident for the persecuted group.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR) said in a statement on Friday that – if confirmed – the two incidents would be the “deadliest tragedy at sea” involving Rohingya refugees so far this year.

“The UN refugee agency is gravely concerned about reports of two boat tragedies off the coast of Myanmar earlier this month,” UNHCR said in the statement, adding that it was still working to confirm the exact circumstances surrounding the shipwrecks.

According to the agency, preliminary information indicated that a vessel carrying 267 people sank on May 9, with only 66 people surviving, and a second ship with 247 Rohingya on board capsized on May 10, with just 21 survivors.

The Rohingya on board were either leaving Bangladesh’s huge Cox’s Bazar refugee camps or fleeing Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine, the statement said.

Persecuted in Myanmar for decades, thousands of Rohingya risk their lives every year to flee repression and civil war in their country, often going to sea on board makeshift boats.

In a post on X, UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi said news of the double tragedy was “a reminder of the desperate situation” of the Rohingya “and of the hardship faced by refugees in Bangladesh as humanitarian aid dwindles”.

In 2017, more than a million Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh from Myanmar’s Rakhine State following a brutal crackdown by Myanmar’s military.

At least 180,000 of those who fled are now facing deportation back to Myanmar while those who stayed behind in Rakhine have endured dire conditions confined to refugee camps.

In 2021, the military launched a coup in Myanmar, ousting the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, Rakhine has been the scene of fierce fighting between the military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic minority rebel group, for control of the state amid a widening civil war in the country.

“The dire humanitarian situation, exacerbated by funding cuts, is having a devastating impact on the lives of Rohingya, with more and more resorting to dangerous journeys to seek safety, protection and a dignified life for themselves and their families,” said Hai Kyung Jun, who leads UNHCR’s regional bureau for Asia and the Pacific.

In 2024, some 657 Rohingya died in the region’s waters, according to UNHCR.

Humanitarian organisations have been hit hard by funding cuts from major donors, led by the United States administration of President Donald Trump and other Western countries, as they prioritise defence spending prompted by growing fears of Russia and China.

UNHCR is seeking financial support to stabilise the lives of Rohingya refugees in host countries, including Bangladesh, and those displaced inside Myanmar.

Its request for $383m for support in 2025 is currently only 30 percent funded, the agency said.