By Natascha Rivera
Copyright euroweeklynews
THE country of Greece has announced the successful recovery of a variety of artefacts recovered from a shipwreck off its coast … from none other than Titanic’s sister ship. Deep-sea divers have returned with the first batch of objects from the HMHS Britannic, which sank off the coast of Greece in 1916, including ceramic tiles, a signal lamp, and binoculars.
The announcement was made by the Greek Ministry of Culture on Monday, September 15, highlighting the research programme that had involved the retrieval of objects from the wreck site, from a depth of more than 120 metres. The HMHS Britannic, acquired by the British admiralty to be converted into a hospital vessel during the First World War, had struck a German mine on November 16, 1916, while sailing off the Greek island of Kea, in the Aegean Sea, and sank. Reportedly, the ship sank in less than an hour and of the 1,065 people onboard, 30 died when the propellers of the ship snagged two lifeboats, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture.
The artefact recovery project officially set out in May by an 11-member team of deep-sea diving professionals. The research was organised and carried out by British historian Simon Mills, and in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Culture, specifically the department responsible for underwater archaeology. Due to the currents, the depth, and the low visibility and lack of light, the retrieval of the objects was challenging even for the experienced diving team. However, in the end they were able to snag some effects from the ship and successfully bring them to the surface with the help of specialised air bags.
The items were secured in containers, cleaned of marine organisms, and transported to the laboratories in the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities in Athens for further conservation and analysis, and are expected to feature in a permanent exhibition about the First World War at a new museum of underwater construction and antiquities in Piraeus, according to the Ministry.
It’s worth noting that some items that were originally planned for excavation were unable to be removed from the ship due to their condition or location, further showcasing the difficulty of the mission.
Three sister ships, two at the bottom of the ocean
The HMHS Britannic was one of three sister ships, transatlantic ships built at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast in the year 1911. The other two were the RMS Titanic, the most famous ship in the world, which infamously sank on its maiden voyage in 1912 after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean; and the RMS Olympic, which had a kinder fate than its sisters, serving as a troopship vessel during the First World War until it was retired in 1935.
The full list of items recovered from the wreck in the first batch were:
The ship’s observation post bell
The portside signal lamp
Various portable equipment items from the first and second class cabins
Ceramic tiles that had decorated a Turkish bath
A pair of binoculars
