The HMS Britannic, the sister ship of the Titanic, currently sits in approximately 120 meters of water about three nautical miles off the Greek mainland. The less celebrated of the two ships, but just as ill-fated, the Britannic could soon become a tourist attraction for divers and visitors to Greece.
The Britannic Foundation and the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) recently conducted a dive to see what shape the ship was in and what is its effect on the surrounding ecosystem. The ship was sunk in 1916 by a presumed underwater mine –although some believe it was torpedoed by a German U-boat – as it was on its way to pick up soldiers who were injured in the First World War.
Simon Mills, president of the foundation, is looking forward to the day when the public can visit the wreckage in submersibles. He hopes that will be within the next few years. In addition to its attraction as a virtually intact 269 meter vessel, it has developed a min-ecosystem around it with all kinds of marine life.
Mills notes that his goal is both to conserve the ship and allow people to see it: “There is the possibility here to create a unique project that can only help all parties. It is a wonderful thing that can happen to Greece if we can complete this project.”
Useful Resources
