Archaeologists find ship buried at Ground Zero

Archaeologists at the World Trade Centre site have found the 32ft hull of a ship thought to have been buried in the 18th century.

Expert Molly McDonald said they would try to salvage some timbers but it was unclear if any large portions could be lifted intact. "We're mostly clearing it by hand because it's kind of fragile," she said.

She and colleague A. Michael Pappalardo were at the site of 9/11 attacks when the discovery was made. "We noticed curved timbers that a back hoe [digger] brought up," she said. "We quickly found the rib of a vessel and continued to clear it away and expose the hull over the last two days."

A 100lb anchor was found a few yards away but they are not sure if it belongs to the ship.

The archaeologists are racing to analyse the vessel before the delicate wood, now exposed to air, deteriorates. "I kept thinking of how closely it came to being destroyed," Mr Pappalardo said.