Yvette Holly, from Hull, discovered she was half-Icelandic after taking a DNA test two years ago. This revelation prompted her to search for her biological father's family.
Using a genealogy site, Ms Holly identified potential cousins, including Barour Jon Grimsson. A mutual Facebook friend, Alec Gill, a historian of Hull's fishing industry, helped connect them. Mr Grimsson was researching the steam trawler Pamela, which was stranded off the coast of Iceland in 1915.
The Pamela, built for fishing in the North Sea, became stranded in bad weather. After being abandoned and sold, parts of the ship were acquired by Mr Grimsson's grandfather, who lived near where the vessel was wrecked. Ms Holly has since visited Iceland and met cousins, discovering that her father, who died in 1978, never knew about her.