Exploration team retrieves items from HMHS Britannic on diving mission
A recent research program was conducted last May to recover objects from the HMHS Britannic shipwreck, located deep below the surface at depths exceeding 120 meters. The Britannic, known for being the sister ship of the iconic Titanic, has rested on its side on the Aegean seabed near the island of Kea (Tzia) since November 16, 1916.
The initiative was officially approved by the Greek culture minister and marked the first time that a salvage operation had been carried out on the sunken vessel. A team of 11 professional deep-sea divers equipped with closed-circuit diving gear spearheaded the mission. The project was overseen by Simon Mills, a British amateur historian and the founder of the Britannic Foundation, who collaborated with various marine salvage experts.
During the dives and underwater exploration, a dedicated three-member team from the Ministry of Culture’s ephorate of underwater antiquities was on-site to monitor the activities closely. Some of the noteworthy items recovered from the wreckage included the ship’s observation bell, the left navigation light, portable equipment from different decks, ceramic tiles from an Ottoman bathhouse, and a pair of binoculars.
To prevent further deterioration, the objects were delicately raised from the shipwreck by the diving team using air bags and then carefully placed in specially designed containers. The cleaning process to rid the artifacts of marine organisms commenced promptly after retrieval. Once the research and salvaging efforts were completed, all objects were transported to the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities laboratory in Athens for further conservation.
Furthermore, these items are slated to be featured in a permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities, currently being developed in the port city of Piraeus. Particularly, they will be part of the World War I section, showcasing the history and significance of the Britannic during the war.
The tragic fate of the HMHS Britannic unfolded during World War I when the vessel, repurposed into a hospital by the British admiralty, struck a German mine while en route from Kea to Lemnos. Within an hour, the ship sank, claiming the lives of 30 out of the 1,065 passengers on board. This historical maritime event left a lasting legacy, and the recent salvage operation has shed light on the artifacts and stories preserved within the sunken wreckage.