The Andrea Doria, which was once considered Italy's flagship, has attracted thousands of divers since 1956, but most only go down one or two times "just to say that they went there,” said Silverstein. Many consider it the Mount Everest of SCUBA diving because of the remote location and challenging conditions, Silverstein said.

Ernest Rookey, of Jackson, and Carl Bayer, of Hillsborough, were part of an expedition team diving on the wreck when they made the find 240 feet below the ocean's surface.

“All we hoped for was to get a little trinket to take home to remember our dive,” Rookey said. “I’m still stunned, the bell was totally unexpected. There’s just no way else to describe how we feel."

Even among divers in the “core group” who have made multiple trips to the wreck, most only return with a few pieces of china, glassware, or portholes, said Silverstein, who has made 56 dives on the Andrea Doria wreck since 1992.

The bell, which weighs about 75lbs and stands two feet tall, is one of the few artifacts which has the ship’s name engraved on it.

The last major discovery was made when the stern bell was discovered by a group led by Gary Gentile in 1985, according to Silverstein.

The SS Andrea Doria sinking after being struck by the MS Stockholm in 1956.
United States Coast Guard

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