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THE wreckage of Captain James Cook's ship Endeavour has reportedly been discovered off the coast of the United States, subsequently triggering a battle about who owns the vessel and where it should be displayed.
American marine archaeologists say they believe they are close to solving the 240-year-old mystery surrounding the final resting place of the Whitbybuilt vessel that the British explorer sailed to Australia in 1768.
For 25 years, experts from the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project have been analysing numerous wrecks around Newport Harbour, where HMS Endeavour was scuttled as part of a naval blockade during the American War of Independence in 1778.
Project leaders are due to announce tomorrow "one or two" sites thought to pinpoint Endeavour. Kathy Abbass, the director, said: "We can say we think we know which one it is."
But the historical significance of the ship to Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the US is expected to ignite a tussle over how remains and artefacts are divided...