Footage of Bermuda’s shipwrecks have been featured on the homepage of international news outlet CNN.

According to Brekke Fletcher, CNN Travel’s executive editor, the video entitled “Charted Waters” has proven to be hugely popular by website users.

“I’m surprised at how well it did despite it being such a departure from traditional CNN coverage,” she said. “It was ceaselessly pleasing to see how many people were hungry for something positive, warm, beautiful and truly informative.”

The Bermuda Tourism Authority described the high-profile video as a “significant public relations win” for itself and Turner PR, noting that cnn.com records 58 million unique web visits each month.

The video, which has been viewed more than 500,000 times on Facebook, came as a result of a pitch by Turner PR and the BTA last May at the America’s Cup World Series event in New York.

Ms Fletcher said her attention was initially drawn to Bermuda due to the America’s Cup, but her focus shifted to the island’s history and shipwrecks, along with its people.

Kevin Dallas, CEO of the BTA, said: “Since joining the Bermuda Tourism Authority in January, one of many things that has really impressed me is the strategic thinking the marketing team puts into winning PR victories for the island.

“‘Charted Waters’ is an excellent example of an invisible, yet very influential process that helps Bermuda get into magazines, onto television shows and, in this case, on the homepage of CNN.com.”

Bermuda’s shipwrecks have also recently been highlighted on the BBC Travel Show, with excerpts expected to air on BBC World, which boasts an audience of 76 million weekly viewers.

And Conde Nast Traveler put together a video piece focusing on the island’s shipwrecks entitled “Exploring Bermuda’s Deadly Coast”.

A BTA spokesman added: “The origin of both BBC’s and CNN’s interest in Bermuda emanated from the America’s Cup.

“The same is true for Today, which produced two hours of morning show programming from Bermuda in May. About four million viewers are estimated to have watched those two broadcasts.”