118-year-old mystery cracked as divers discover lost warship beneath the waves

This post was originally published on this site.

Divers recentlyuncovered the remainsof a Royal Navy warship off the Isle of Wight — 118 years after it went down.

The ship, HMS Tiger, sank in 1908 after colliding with another Royal Navy warship, the 10,000-ton HMS Berwick, news agency SWNS reported.More than half of HMS Tiger’s 57 crew members were killed in the sinking.

The wreckremained undiscovered until Aug.10, when the ProjectXplore dive group announced its discovery.

WRECK OF DEADLIEST US NAVAL LOSS OF WORLD WAR I FOUND AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY: ‘LOST WITH ALL HANDS’

The ProjectXplore team spent five years going through archives and piecing together data that helped pinpoint the wreck’s location.

Images show divers exploring the twisted and rusting remains of HMS Tiger on the seabed over a century after it sank.

Historic image of navy ship, diver observing ship remains

Divers recently uncovered the remains of HMS Tiger, a Royal Navy warship that sank off the Isle of Wight in 1908.(Royal Navy/SWNS;Dr.Steffen G.Scholz/SWNS)

A wreath was also laid on the wreck in memory of those who died.

In a statement, the organizers of ProjectXplore called it “theprivilege of a lifetimeto research, discover and document the wreck of HMS Tiger.”

BOY STUMBLES ON STRANGE BEACH OBJECT IDENTIFIED AS RARE 1.8M-YEAR-OLD FOSSIL

“We sincerely hope that our work will ensure that HMS Tiger, her story and the memory of those connected with her endure for future generations,” organizers Leo Fielding and Dan McMullen said.

The discovery comes as the British government moves to strengthen legal protections formilitary shipwrecksthrough its Armed Forces Bill.

Diver standing next to gigantic war ship underwater

The wreck of HMS Tiger was discovered more than a century after the Royal Navy warship sank following a collision.(Dr.Steffen G.Scholz/SWNS)

Under the proposed changes, wrecks such as HMS Tiger would be protected from the moment they’re discovered, making it illegal to disturb the sites or remove items without permission.

Divers would still be allowed to visit under a “look but don’t touch” approach.

Split image diver documenting ship, close-up image of artifact

ProjectXplore organizers Leo Fielding and Dan McMullen said they hope HMS Tiger’s story will endure for future generations.(Joe Colls Burnett / SWNS;Dan McMullen / SWNS)

“This Armed Forces Bill is wide-ranging in the measures it proposes – from protecting our rich cultural heritage, to transforming the lives of military families by upgrading and improving the Defence housing estate,” Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said.

“These protections go further to ensure that these vulnerable and nationally significant monuments are protected from day one of discovery, giving lost sailors the dignity and respect they deserve.”