First Objects Retrieved From The Wreck Of Titanic’s Sister Ship HMHS Britannic

A team of divers brought back the very first objects from the sister ship of the Titanic, the HMHS Britannic, which sank off the Greek coast in 1916.

The endeavour was a part of a research programme which involved the retrieval of the objects from the wreck site, from depths of over 120 metres.

The ship’s observation post bell, ceramic tiles which once adorned a turkish bath, binoculars, a portside signal lamp and several items from the first and second class were retrieved.

The retrieved objects include the ship’s observation post bell, the portside signal lamp, various items of portable equipment from first and second class, ceramic tiles that had decorated a Turkish bath, and a pair of binoculars.

The HMHS Britannic was one of the three transatlantic passenger liners constructed at the Harland and Wolff Shipyard, Belfast. The first was the RMS Titanic, and the third was the RMS Olympic, which sailed from 1911 to 1935.

The Britannic was converted into a hospital ship during WWI when it struck a German mine in November 1916 off the Greek island of Kea.

It sank in less than 60 minutes, and of the 1065 people on the ship, 30 died.

The research project to document the historic wreck site and its contents was carried out by an 11-member team of professional divers who used closed-circuit diving equipment.

The project was organised by the British amateur historian Simon Mills, founder of the Britannic Foundation.

It was supervised by a department which comes under the Greek Culture Ministry, which is responsible for underwater archaeology.

The Ministry stated that conditions at the wreck were challenging because of the depths, currents and low visibility. Some objects selected at first could not be retrieved because of their location and preservation status.

The retrieved objects were taken to the department’s lab in Athens for proper conservation and would be displayed in an exhibition at a new museum of underwater artefacts, which is being built in Piraeus, the Ministry added.

Disclaimer :
The information on this website is for general purposes only. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, we make no warranties of any kind regarding completeness, reliability, or suitability. Any reliance you place on such information is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website.