Divers discover ‘bonkers’ pristine German torpedo conflict ship in excellent situation
Stunned divers have told of the “bonkers” moment they discovered a British warship sunk by a German torpedo.
The shipwreck, discovered off the coast of Aberdeenshire, is believed to be the long-lost HMS Hawke. The Royal Navy cruiser was sunk by a German U-boat in the North Sea during World War 1 killing 524 people on board. The status of the vessel, which was struck in October 1914, has remained a mystery throughout the intervening century. Now, it could have been found by Lost in Waters Deep, a group dedicated to uncovering shipwrecks.
Divers made the discovery earlier this week about 70 miles east of Fraserburgh. It followed years of painstaking research and they now await formal identification from the Royal Navy.
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(Image: Lost in Waters Deep)
Will Schwarz, a marine biologist and one of the first divers to explore the site 100 meters below the surface, was astonished by the ship’s condition despite its 110 years on the seabed. He said its guns were in such pristine condition they were “ready for battle”.
“The team from Lost in Waters Deep have been searching for her for years,” he told Sky News. “The wreck itself is just remarkable.
“The lack of nutrients in the water means that there is very little growth on some of the items. There were bits that were shiny, it is bonkers.”
(Image: Lost in Waters Deep)
When World War 1 erupted, HMS Hawke was part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron performing blockade duties between the Shetland Islands and Norway. The 387ft-long, 60ft-wide Edgar-class protected cruiser was launched in 1891.
The Royal Navy said it was appreciative of the efforts made to locate the wreck of HMS Hawke. A statement read: “Once the evidence to support this find is received, it will enable our historians to formally identify the wreck.”
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