WWI Wreck of Scharnhorst discovered.

Jimbuna · 12-05-19, 09:41 AM

Quote:

The wreck of a World War One German armoured cruiser has been located off the Falkland Islands, where it was sunk by the British navy 105 years ago.

SMS Scharnhorst was the flagship of German Vice-Admiral Maximilian Graf von Spee's East Asia Squadron.

It was sunk on 8 December 1914 with more than 800 men on board, including Vice-Adm von Spee himself.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-50670743

They found SMS Scharnhorst on the third day of the search, at a depth of 1,610m (5,282ft).

The wreck was not disturbed during the operation and the Falkland Maritime Heritage Trust is seeking to have the site formally protected in law.

eddie · 12-05-19, 01:49 PM

Amazing Jim, how they can find these old ships after all these years!

Jimbuna · 12-06-19, 07:22 AM

It sure is Eddie

Buddahaid · 12-06-19, 09:37 PM

I saw that BBC piece. Tech has made these discoveries verging on commonplace! With ships such as Okeanos Explorer https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/livestreams/welcome.html , ship wrecks of all sorts will start emerging as more and more seafloor is mapped.

iambecomelife · 12-06-19, 11:56 PM

Was just about to post the news; glad I did not duplicate!

Interesting how both Scharnhorst's came to unfortunate ends - this one with no survivors, and her WWII successor with almost no survivors.

Glad to read that she will be protected by law, so no scavengers or souvenir hunters will disturb the site.

Jimbuna · 12-07-19, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iambecomelife

Was just about to post the news; glad I did not duplicate!

Interesting how both Scharnhorst's came to unfortunate ends - this one with no survivors, and her WWII successor with almost no survivors.

Glad to read that she will be protected by law, so no scavengers or souvenir hunters will disturb the site.

I think the biggest protector of these wrecks is deep water. Seldom do laws prevent the divers and scavengers from getting involved.

iambecomelife · 12-12-19, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I think the biggest protector of these wrecks is deep water. Seldom do laws prevent the divers and scavengers from getting involved.

That's quite true. I've read of many shallow water wrecks, like "Prince of Wales" & "Repulse", being looted by divers who, apparently, could care less about disrespecting war graves.

There was even one case where some divers removed skulls from a sunken submarine and put them in the windows of their dive shop, as decorations. Absolutely classless, in my opinion.

Anyways, there's interesting stuff about the discovery at wrecksite.eu. Apparently the search team was successful because they got help from local fishermen, who reported losing their trawls on an undersea obstruction...they went to the site they marked and sure enough, there Scharnhorst was. I'm a little surprised that they would be trawling in such deep waters; in any case it is a great find. Maybe next they can locate Gneisenau, the German light cruisers, and the British CA's Good Hope and Monmouth.

https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?15323

12-05-19, 01:49 PM	#2
eddie Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,023 Downloads: 99 Uploads: 0	Amazing Jim, how they can find these old ships after all these years! __________________ Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I'm kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me. Al Capone

12-06-19, 07:22 AM	#3
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,712 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	It sure is Eddie __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-06-19, 09:37 PM	#4
Buddahaid Shark above Space Chicken Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,330 Downloads: 162 Uploads: 0	I saw that BBC piece. Tech has made these discoveries verging on commonplace! With ships such as Okeanos Explorer https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/livestreams/welcome.html , ship wrecks of all sorts will start emerging as more and more seafloor is mapped. __________________ "However vast the darkness, we must provide our own light." Stanley Kubrick "Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie

12-06-19, 11:56 PM	#5
iambecomelife Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4,709 Downloads: 300 Uploads: 0	Was just about to post the news; glad I did not duplicate! Interesting how both Scharnhorst's came to unfortunate ends - this one with no survivors, and her WWII successor with almost no survivors. Glad to read that she will be protected by law, so no scavengers or souvenir hunters will disturb the site. __________________ https://www.facebook.com/WolvesoftheKaiser/