The wreck of a British First World War submarine has been found off the coast of Estonia.
Sidescan image of HMS E18. Photos: MMT AB
Launching the ROV
Photo taken from the ROV, showing the main hatch open
The HMS E18 was on patrol in the Baltic Sea in May 1916 - one of a handful of British submarines supporting the Russian navy in disrupting German shipments of iron ore from Sweden. It left the port of Reval - now Tallinn, the capital of Estonia - and three days later is reported to have hit a mine. All 33 people on board died.
The wreck was found by Swedish marine survey company MMT near the Estonian island of Hiiumaa. They took pictures of the wreck using a remote-operated vehicle. The photos appear to show the submarine's hatch open, suggesting it hit the mine while on the surface.
The search was helped by Australian Darren Brown, a descendent of one of the crew, who has spent years researching the submarine's history. He is the great-grandson of signalman Albert Robinson, who was a crewmember on the E18, but who was not on the final voyage, having contracted appendicitis shortly before they were due to leave port.
Carl Douglas, who led the search team, said: 'This is the fruition of nearly a decade of work. We will now complete our mission to document this wreck and inform the relevant authorities. We want to investigate the exact cause of the sinking - and to honour the fallen by telling their story.'
The wreck lies less than 100m deep, and is well preserved.
