By studying the designs on the porcelain shards , a team of researchers led by Scott Williams concluded in 2011 that the wreck must date from the late 17th century . According to the comprehensive records kept by the Spanish government of the time , only two Manila galleons went missing during that period – the '' Santo Christo de Burgos '' , in 1693 , and the '' San Francisco Xavier '' , in 1705 . The '' San Francisco Xavier '' was initially considered the more likely candidate , partly because it was thought that a tsunami which struck the Oregon coast in 1700 would have destroyed any evidence of an earlier shipwreck ; however , after conducting further surveys , Williams ' team now believes that the tsunami played a key role in dispersing the debris along the coastline , and that the wreck 's true identity is therefore the '' Santo Christo de Burgos '' . They also believe that the wreck is probably located further north than previously thought , close to Neahkahnie Mountain
tsunami which struck the Oregon coast in 1700
1700 Cascadia earthquake
Beeswax wreck