SS Pacific (1856)

The wreck was positively identified off the Washington State coast in 2021, more than 160 years after the sidewheel steamer vanished in November 1856. The identification was confirmed by a private salvage and exploration team using sonar and remotely operated vehicles.

They were two different vessels; the 1856 Pacific was an earlier sidewheel steamer that also departed from Victoria, British Columbia, and disappeared, while the 1875 Pacific collided with the Orpheus and sank with enormous loss of life. Both were lost off the Washington coast, which has caused some confusion in historical accounts.

The 1856 SS Pacific vanished without a trace after departing Victoria, British Columbia, and no confirmed survivors were ever found. The fate of its passengers and crew remained a mystery for over a century and a half until the wreck was located.

Historical accounts suggest the vessel was carrying passengers and cargo typical of the Victoria–San Francisco route during the Fraser River Gold Rush era. The possibility of valuable cargo has contributed to interest from commercial salvage firms, though specifics remain uncertain.