Diver Solves Maritime Disaster Mystery, Finding Long-Lost Shipwreck After Nearly 140 Years

The ruins of a vessel that sank complete 100 years agone were precocious discovered disconnected of nan seashore of England, solving 1 of nan U.K.'s long-standing shipwreck mysteries.

According to CNN and nan BBC, diver and explorer Dom Robinson located nan wreckage of nan 19th period vessel nan SS Nantes, which sank disconnected nan seashore of Cornwall successful November 1888.

Robinson, who first shared nan communicative of really he located nan wreckage connected his YouTube channel successful December, told CNN that he first began investigating nan wreck — which was unidentified astatine nan clip — erstwhile he heard astir it from nan UK Hydrographic Office past fall.

“Nantes is 1 of those vessels that’s been known astir but has been mislaid for a agelong play of time,” he told nan outlet.

Speaking to nan BBC, Dr. Harry Bennett, an master successful maritime history, said that Robinson and his squad uncovering nan shipwreck was "the underwater archaeological balanced of a needle successful a haystack."

The SS Nantes sank aft it collided pinch a German boat, nan Theodor Ruger, resulting successful nan deaths of 23 unit members conscionable 13 years aft it was built, nan outlets reported.

“It pierces nan broadside of nan Nantes and tears a large spread into its side,” Bennett told CNN. “For respective hours, nan unit tried to prevention their vessel utilizing each mode of materials to effort and capable nan hole, including mattresses. But yet they suffer that conflict and nan vessel goes down very rapidly.”

According to nan maritime expert, nan 2 vessels crashing into each different damaged nan Nantes’ lifeboats. Only 3 group survived, including 1 man who was recovered astatine oversea arsenic good arsenic 2 different who jumped overboard, according to CNN.

Robinson, a 50-year-old erstwhile service serviceman who has complete 35 years of acquisition exploring nan water floor, said that nan wreck was recovered astir 246 feet down successful nan English Channel, located astir 30 miles southeast of Plymouth.

The ship's nonstop location went chartless for decades and Robinson said that he didn't moreover cognize what he was looking astatine erstwhile he first laid eyes connected nan wreck — but a surgery sheet amidst nan vessel parts gave him and his squad a clue.

The Nantes was operated by nan Cunard Steamship Company arsenic a cargo ship, and Robinson told nan BBC that nan wreck "was intelligibly an early steamship erstwhile we sewage down there." When he located a surgery sheet stamped pinch nan company's name, he decided to bring it up to nan surface, and he "found that had nan Cunard Steamship crest connected it."

"It was past bingo, we've recovered it," he told nan outlet.

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According to Bennett, researchers were capable to corroborate Robinson's first thoughts by utilizing nan build and dimensions of nan wreck, nan property of pieces of instrumentality recovered connected committee and, astir importantly, nan plate.

"[It was] very methodical, very, very dedicated detective work," Bennett told nan BBC. "All nan pieces fit, and I deliberation nan section dive squad are to beryllium congratulated connected a splendid portion of detective activity which reveals this maritime disaster."

Robinson told CNN that nan thrill of solving a century-old enigma is amended than immoderate different adventure.

“For a normal personification for illustration myself, location is obscurity near to research – there’s nary much mountains near to spell to, nary much continents that haven’t been found," he told nan outlet. "The only spot wherever you tin do thing wholly retired of nan mean is to spell to nan bottommost of nan oversea and research and find things and place them.”

“I get a immense buzz retired of that and successful nan UK we are truthful fortunate because astir our shores are astir apt much wrecks than anyplace other successful nan world," Robinson added. "I could astir apt dive each time for nan remainder of my life connected a caller wreck.”