National Geographic to
feature IU team

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) - Last December, 24-Hour News 8 broke the story that Indiana University underwater researchers believed they had found the last ship of a notorious pirate off the coast of the Dominican Republic. Now, new evidence appears to confirm the historic find.

Tuesday night, National Geographic will feature I.U.'s underwater research team in a new documentary about the pirate known as Captain Kidd. As National Geographic is set to report, Indiana University underwater archaeologist Charles Beeker and his team of faculty and students are certain they've identified the wreck of the Cara Merchant, the pirate ship Captain Kidd abandoned in the Caribbean more than 300 years ago.

"The real story, the detective story, is the thumb print. We now have that," said Dr. Beeker.

The "thumb print" comes in the form of teak wood. Beeker said three independent labs have identified the unique wood that Captain Kidd wrote his sturdy West Indian ship was made of.

"It doesn't belong in the Caribbean. Ships were not built out of teak until another 50-to-75 years later," said Dr. Beeker.

Beeker is now traveling internationally to discuss the discovery. Next month he will speak at the exact site where Captain Kidd was convicted of piracy and hanged by the British government.

I.U. has been awarded a $200,000 national grant to turn the Dominican Republic dive site into a protected preserve. Several students will continue to help Beeker build the underwater museum.

"It's an honor, really, to be involved in such a program with a history. And I.U. itself, it's just based in tradition. Knowing that my work and my efforts did help with something that's going to last for a pretty long time," said senior I.U. student Jessica Keller.

"I never thought I'd be doing that, coming to school for journalism and then go down and work on a pirate ship. It's kind of incredible," said student Eleanor Seagle.

The documentary called, "Shipwreck! Captain Kidd" will premiere Tuesday night at 9 p.m. Eastern on the National Geographic Channel.