In a remarkable discovery off the Scottish coast, a team of seasoned divers has reportedly uncovered the wreckage of a World War I ship, believed to be the HMS Hawke, which tragically sank with over 500 sailors on board.
The ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat on October 15, 1913, as per the records of Lost in Waters Deep, a UK agency dedicated to commemorating naval losses from the First World War. The Royal Navy warship was engulfed in flames and sank in less than eight minutes, with a mere 70 sailors surviving the catastrophe. As reported by CBS News' partner, the BBC, the total death toll from this maritime disaster near northern Scotland was 524 sailors.
The site of the sunken ship was determined by a "group of very experienced technical divers," according to Lost in Waters Deep. On August 11, they dove to the wreck, located approximately 360 feet underwater. The team, including diver Steve Mortimer, employed a range of research methods to identify the wreck site. They scrutinized the day journal of the U-boat commander, which provided clues about the ship's location when it launched the fatal torpedo at the Hawke. They also examined logs of other ships that had communicated with the Hawke before it sank.
Further, the team investigated reports from the 1980s about an "obstruction" in the area, as reported by Scottish fisheries. While no wreckage was found at the reported obstruction site, the divers discovered the large shipwreck less than a mile away. "It took years of research, but the actual time on the ground was just a few hours," Mortimer shared with the BBC.
The BBC reports that the Royal Navy will formally identify the wreckage in the coming weeks. Mortimer described the wreck as a "really remarkable time capsule." He detailed the fascinating remnants of the ship, including a captain's walkway, numerous guns, and Royal Navy crockery. "She clearly was taken completely by surprise because lots of the portholes are still open ... You can look into the portholes and see rooms with artifacts - teacups, bowls and plates just there on the floor," Mortimer told the BBC.
This discovery serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war, and the importance of preserving and understanding our history. The HMS Hawke, once a symbol of naval might, now lies as a submerged testament to the lives lost and the sacrifices made during the tumultuous times of World War I.
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