The iconic 17th-century warship "Vesa" sank on its maiden voyage. The wreckage of its sister ship has been found off Sweden.

Swedish maritime archaeologists have discovered the long-lost sister vessel of the iconic 17th-century warship "Vasa", which sank on its maiden voyage, the Swedish Museum of Wrecks said on Monday. Launched in 1629, "Applet" (The Apple) was built by the same shipbuilder as the famed 225-foot "Vasa," which is now on display in Stockholm after being salvaged in the 1960s.

"Our pulses raced when we saw how similar the wreck was to Vasa," said Jim Hansson, maritime archaeologist at the museum, which posted video of the shipwreck on its website and images on social media.

The huge shipwreck was discovered in December in a strait off the island of Vaxholm just outside the capital, Stockholm, according to the museum.