Deep-sea divers have recovered the first set of artifacts from the wreck of the Titanic’s sister ship, the HMHS Britannic, which went down near Greece in 1916. Items include a signal lamp, ceramic tiles, a bell, and a pair of binoculars, according to the guardian.com.
The Greek culture ministry announced on Monday that the mission marked “the retrieval of objects from the wreck site [of the HMHS Britannic] for the first time, from depths exceeding 120 metres [390ft].”
The Britannic, built at Belfast’s Harland & Wolff shipyard alongside the Titanic and Olympic, was transformed into a hospital ship during the first world war. In November 1916, while sailing near the island of Kea, it struck a German mine and sank within an hour. Of the 1,065 people aboard, 30 lost their lives when propellers caught two lifeboats, according to the ministry.
An image released from the mission shows a team member holding “a silver serving tray from the HMHS Britannic.”
The May expedition involved 11 professional divers using closed-circuit equipment. The project was led by British historian Simon Mills, founder of the Britannic Foundation, and overseen by Greece’s department of underwater archaeology.
The ministry noted: “Conditions at the wreck site were particularly challenging due to currents, depth and low visibility,” adding that some items could not be recovered due to location or preservation issues.
The retrieved objects have been transferred to conservation labs in Athens. They are expected to go on display at a new Museum of Underwater Antiquities being built in Piraeus.
The Britannic’s sister ship, the Olympic, sailed safely from 1911 to 1935, after undergoing safety upgrades following the Titanic disaster in 1912.
Source: guardian.com
