The historic wreck of HMS Coronation has been damaged after illegal fishing-pots were dropped onto it – and Devon & Cornwall Police are working to find out who was responsible.
The 17th-century vessel was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line. She sank during a storm off Penlee in Cornwall in 1691 with the loss of some 600 sailors and lies in two parts, one inshore and one offshore.
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The Coronation is protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, which prohibits any activity in and around the area that could cause damage, obscure or interfere with the site.
Divers found that pots had been placed not only across the wreck-site but along the nearby underwater diving trail. Access to the wreck for scuba divers is through a licence scheme administered by Historic England (HE) on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.
Also read: Fishing-pots damage protected Cornwall shipwreck
Rural Affairs police officers are now working alongside HE’s maritime archaeologists and heritage-crime specialists on the investigation. Work is also taking place across fishing communities in Cornwall and the wider area of Devon to educate and prevent further incidents, say the police.
Operation Birdie
“The South-west is home to 21 of the UK’s 57 protected wrecks,” pointed out the Rural Affairs team’s Police Sgt Julian Fry, who is national lead for Operation Birdie. This UK-wide initiative is led by police forces, particularly Devon & Cornwall, to protect historic shipwrecks from illegal interference such as fishing activities.
The initiative forms part of a broader drive to tackle heritage and cultural property crime across communities.
“It’s so important for us, and those out on sea, to play our part in keeping these historic sites safe from any damage,” said Sgt Fry. “We’re urging the fishing community to avoid placing any fishing equipment near the HMS Coronation, and indeed any other protected wreck-sites around the UK.
“While we fully support the local fishing industry, preservation of these nationally important heritage sites is essential. We thank the fishing industry in advance for their co-operation.”
All protected wreck-sites are mapped and highlighted on navigational charts as well as being on the National Heritage List for England. Information about damage to the Coronation or other protected wrecks in the South-west can be reported to Devon & Cornwall Police.
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