British cruiser HMS Warrior, the last missing wreck from the WW1 Battle of Jutland 100 years ago, has been located at a depth of 83m by a Danish-British survey team.
The find was made on an expedition organised by Danish underwater contractor JD-Contractor for the Sea War Museum in Thyborøn, in collaboration with British wreck-expert Dr Innes McCartney of Bournemouth University. They were diving from ms Vina.
On 7 September Divernet reported that the same team had located the long-lost British submarine HMS Tarpon off Jutland.
HMS Warrior was heavily damaged and 71 crewmen died during the battle. The remaining 743 were transferred to HMS Engadine as she attempted to tow Warrior back to Britain, but because of the extent of the damage combined with bad weather conditions the cruiser had to be abandoned.
She sank in the northern North Sea between 1 and 2 June, 1916, but could not be found later at the official position given. Unlike the other Jutland wrecks HMS Warrior sank intact rather than as the direct result of an explosion, which has led Gert Normann Andersen of the Sea War Museum to describe the wreck as a “time capsule with all its content” that should remain “very well-preserved for many years yet”.
Thirty wrecks were found and investigated along Engadine’s route using multibeam surveys and ROV video, and Warrior was eventually discovered on 24 August between 19 and 27 miles from the official position.
The ship lies inverted, with the highest point at 68m, according to the Sea War Museum. Its ROV inspection revealed the two large propellers and thick propshafts at the stern with the remains of a lifeboat nearby, and along the sides the mounts of several guns visible, with the barrel of one lying on the seabed.
The mast has broken away, and the top of it lies beneath the wreckage, indicating that it had struck the seabed first. The large anchors remain in place at the bow, and several portholes could be seen.
There were shoals of cod and other fish in and around the wreck, and one large trawl-net snagged over it.
You can see an animated version of the multibeam scans here and ROV footage here
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10-Sep-16
