Ming Dynasty shipwreck to be raised

SHANTOU, China, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Chinese officials say they will begin an effort to raise a sunken ship that dates from the Ming Dynasty as soon as weather permits.

The wreck, which was discovered in 2007 off Guangdong Province, is laden with more than 10,000 pieces of porcelain and sank during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, which lasted from 1573 to 1620.

Chen Jianwu, a spokesman for Nan'ao County, told the Xinhua news agency that the remains of the ship will probably be brought to the surface from its resting place 27 meters (88.6 feet) deep sometime in December.

Underwater archaeologists spent more than 800 days surveying the 25.5-meter (83.6-foot) long ship and preparing it for the trip to the surface.