Officials in the northern German city of Lübeck announced on Tuesday that the remains of a 400-year-old sunken ship have been found in the Trave River.

Divers discovered the wreck of the approximately 20-meter-long (65-foot-long) Hanseatic ship on the bottom of the Trave River in Lübeck after unearthing it from sediment, officials said.

The divers were able to recover more than 150 barrels hidden in the wreckage.

Lübeck Mayor Jan Lindenau welcomed the find, saying that it would add a new piece of the puzzle to the economic and trade history of the Hanseatic city of Lübeck.

According to initial findings, the 17th-century ship had been on its way to Lübeck when it sprung a leak on the Trave and sank.

The wreck was discovered during a routine inspection of the Trave's navigation channel by the waterways and shipping authority.

The salvage operation is expected to begin at the end of the year, according to Lindenau.