Divers discovered a shipwreck believed to be a World War I vessel that sank with more than 500 sailors on board, BBC reported Friday.
An underwater expedition off the coast of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, led to the discovery of what is believed to be HMS Hawke, a Royal Navy warship sunk during World War I. The ship was located approximately 70 miles east of Fraserburgh by a team of divers involved with the Lost in Waters Deep project, according to BBC. This discovery sheds light on the naval history, where HMS Hawke was torpedoed by the German submarine U-9 on October 15, 1914, leading to the loss of over 500 crew members.
Lost wreck of WW1 warship found in ‘remarkable’ condition https://t.co/FWNfiyZl7H
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 16, 2024
Steve Mortimer, a key team diver, reported finding the wreck in “remarkable” condition 360 feet underwater, BBC reported. Subsequent research included analysis of historical data from U-boat logs and navy cruiser records and an investigation into an “obstruction” reported by Scottish fisheries in the 1980s. (RELATED: REPORT: Former Coast Guard Pilot Discovers 155-Year-Old Shipwreck)
The divers were astounded by the wreck’s preservation. Much of the ship’s structure, including the teak decking and the captain’s walkway at the stern, remains intact. “There is a wonderful captain’s walkway around the back of the stern. There’s loads of guns because obviously she was a warship,” Mortimer said, BBC reported. “There’s lots of Royal Navy crockery. It is fascinating. She clearly was taken completely by surprise because lots of the portholes are still open.”
![Divers swim around the Pedernales shipwreck dive site off the coast of Aruba on May 11, 2024. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)](https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-2152329467-scaled.jpg)
Divers swim around the Pedernales shipwreck dive site off the coast of Aruba on May 11, 2024. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
Mortimer also revealed that the region of the ocean containing the shipwreck is nutrient-poor, preventing organisms from consuming the wreckage. “You can look into the portholes and see rooms with artefacts – teacups, bowls and plates just there on the floor,” according to BBC. “It’s a really remarkable time capsule.”