A virtually intact German U-boat from World War One has been found lying in just 27m somewhere close to the coastal resort of Ostend, Belgium.
The 270-ton, 27-metre-long German U-boat, which is lying on its starboard side, is thought to have the bodies of all 23 crew on board, as all of the hatches are closed. It is not yet known how it was sunk – either by a mine, an Allied ship or an Allied airplane – but part of the sub’s bow is missing. It is thought to be one of the best-preserved of its kind in the North Sea, and the exact location of the wreck is being kept top secret to deter trophy hunters.
The exciting find came after underwater scans indicated a wreck of some form lay in the area, and now work has begun to formally protect the submarine and identify which U-boat it is. It could potentially be U-Boat 27, 29 or 32, all of which were sunk in 1916 and 1917 by Allied forces.
