KUANTAN, Jan 28 — A wreckage found after the floodwaters receded about 220 kilometres from here two weeks ago, is believed to be a steamship used in gold mining activities in Penjom which had been operating since the 19th century in the area.

Pahang Tourism, Culture, Environment, Plantation and Commodity Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said based on the preliminary analysis, the ship was estimated to be between 25 and 300 metres long.

"More than 100 fragments of wood were found which are believed to be part of the ship. A number of commercial ceramics the same age as the ship’s relics, comprising Chinese and European ceramics, were also found at the discovery site,” he said in a statement here today.

Mohd Sharkar said the National Heritage Department together with the Pahang State Museum Corporation and assisted by the villagers had carried out the process of documenting, recording and preserving the artefacts for five days starting January 19.

He said the artefacts would be placed at the Lipis Heritage Museum under the care of Lipis District Office.

He added that, based on historical records, there were several steamships that operated in the area, among them were the SS Amherst which was reported to have sunk in Kuala Pahang and the Seri Pahang, which was believed to have sunk in Paloh Hinai, Pekan.

The shipwreck was found on the banks of the Sungai Lipis, near Kampung Pagar, Penjom suspension bridge on January 14 after the village was hit by floods on January 3. — Bernama