https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/17/virtually-intact-wreck-off-scotland-believed-to-be-royal-navy-warship-torpedoed-in-wwi [p] Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/3Next imagePrevious imageToggle caption Skip to navigation Print subscriptions Search jobs Sign in US[ ] * US edition * UK edition * Australia edition * Europe edition * International edition The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian [ ] * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle Show moreHide expanded menu * [ ]News + View all News + US news + US elections 2024 + Democratic national convention + World news + Environment + Ukraine + Soccer + Business + Tech + Science + Newsletters + Wellness * [ ]Opinion + View all Opinion + The Guardian view + Columnists + Letters + Opinion videos + Cartoons * [ ]Sport + View all Sport + Soccer + NFL + Tennis + MLB + MLS + NBA + NHL + F1 + Golf * [ ]Culture + View all Culture + Film + Books + Music + Art & design + TV & radio + Stage + Classical + Games * [ ]Lifestyle + View all Lifestyle + Wellness + Fashion + Food + Recipes + Love & sex + Home & garden + Health & fitness + Family + Travel + Money * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Support us + Print subscriptions * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + About Us + The Guardian app + Video + Podcasts + Pictures + Inside the Guardian + Guardian Weekly + Crosswords + Wordiply + Corrections * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + About Us * UK * UK politics * Education * Media * Society * Law * Scotland * Wales * Northern Ireland A nine-inch gun on the newly discovered wreck [ ] A nine-inch gun on the newly discovered wreck off the coast of Scotland. Photograph: Simon Kay/Lost in Deep Waters View image in fullscreen A nine-inch gun on the newly discovered wreck off the coast of Scotland. Photograph: Simon Kay/Lost in Deep Waters Scotland 'Virtually intact' wreck off Scotland believed to be Royal Navy warship torpedoed in first world war Diving team believe deep North Sea find is long-lost HMS Hawke, sunk by German U-boat 110 years ago Agence France-Presse Sat 17 Aug 2024 13.49 EDTLast modified on Sat 17 Aug 2024 14.25 EDT Share A team of UK divers has hailed the discovery of a wreck off Scotland believed to be a Royal Navy warship sunk during the first world war but still "virtually intact". The team found what it thinks is HMS Hawke - which sank after being hit by a German torpedo in October 1914 - in the North Sea earlier this week. Paul Downs, who was among the divers and filmed footage of the long-lost wreck, described it as "a once in a lifetime" discovery given its "unbelievable" condition. "She is virtually intact," he told Agence France Presse. "The state of preservation is unbelievable for a wreck that's 110 years old and came to a violent end." Lost in Waters Deep, a group which searches for first world war shipwrecks in Scottish waters, spearheaded the years-long effort to find the warship. The team is now awaiting official confirmation from the Royal Navy after providing it with their findings. Only 70 of HMS Hawke's crew survived, while more than 500 died, after it was attacked by a German U-boat in the early months of the first world war. The warship, an Edgar-class cruiser first launched in 1891, was 387ft (118 metres) long and 60ft (18 metres) wide. A black and white photo of the full length of a cruiser at seaView image in fullscreen The Edgar-class protected cruiser HMS Hawke was launched in 1891 and sunk in 1914. Photograph: piemags/archive/military/Alamy It caught fire, exploded and then disappeared beneath the murky waters of the North Sea off north-east Scotland in less than eight minutes. The vessel has rested on the seabed - 110 metres down - ever since. Downs said that depth likely played a role in preserving it. Its guns, other armaments, decking and some interior features like a clock and wall-mounted barometer were all still visible, despite more than a century on the seabed. "It avoids the storms that the North Sea will get during the winter," Downs said. He noted the warship had also been built with "absolutely top-quality" materials at the height of the British empire. "All the brass work on the wreck, like the portholes and the breaches for the deck guns, are all still shiny ... it's probably due to the fact that she was just built so well." Lost in Waters Deep spent years pinpointing where it suspected the warship had sunk, including researching the U-boat commander's journal and the logs of other Navy cruisers that had been in contact with it. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to First Edition Free daily newsletter Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters Enter your email address [ ]Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion The team was also helped by a report of a seabed "obstruction" reported in the 1980s - though the wreck was actually found 1km (more than half a mile) away from that. Pipes and a locking wheel are visible under barnacles on one side of the wreckView image in fullscreen Pipework and mechanical details on the wreck. Photograph: Simon Kay/ Lost in Deep Waters HMS Hawke was one of the first Royal Navy vessels lost in the conflict, as Britain's fleet initially struggled to adapt to the threat of German U-boats. "Historically, she's very significant," noted Downs. He predicted the wreck could not be successfully salvaged after so long sitting on the seabed, but the final decision would be down to the Royal Navy. "I would imagine that she will become a controlled wreck, so she'll be classed as a war grave. "So at some point in the future, you may be able to dive, but just not touch anything. "It's basically an archaeological site. So everything's filmed and photographed and left in situ." The Royal Navy told UK media it appreciated the efforts made to locate the wreck. "Once the evidence to support this find is received, it will enable our historians to formally identify the wreck," a spokesperson said. 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