On the November day when Prosper sank, she was on her way from Newcastle in England to Utö in the Stockholm archipelago, to load iron ore. At the northern tip of Öland, a stiff westerly gale blew, the captain decided instead to take the route through Spårösund towards Västervik. Despite strong winds, Prosper still went for full sails and hit a steep rock outcrop, she got in a big hole in her hull and sank.
Today, the wreck of Prosper stands on the bottom. The hull measures 30.5 meters without a bowsprit. The remains are in very good condition with bowsprit, decks and railings in their original places.
Due to its high cultural-historical value, Prosper is classified as an ancient monument. The care and protection plan is drawn up by Vrak's marine archaeologists on behalf of the County Administrative Board of Kalmar. Through such a plan, authorities can get an overview of what the remains look like at present and the opportunity to track changes over time.
