Germa U-Boat in Cork looted!

Dr Strange

Scum.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0530/1224298058685.html

Irish Times wrote:

Gardaí investigate looting of U-boat site

ÉIBHIR MULQUEEN

GARDAÍ IN Cork have begun an investigation into the illegal removal of artefacts, including sailors’ attire, from a first World War submarine and war grave recently discovered by divers in 27 metres of water off Roches Point.

The 49-metre, 400-ton German vessel UC-42, which sank in 1917 during a mine-laying operation, also appears to have been damaged by salvagers attempting to remove one of its propellers.

The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s antiquities unit was alerted by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s underwater archaeology unit. Also involved are the Customs maritime unit, the National Museum of Ireland and, now, locally-based gardaí.

Connie Kelleher, of the underwater archaeology unit, said she had received several reports from divers about the desecration of the site through removal of crew members’ effects.

“Included in these reports to us, from concerned divers who do not agree with the pillaging of the site, are details of human remains being evident on the wreck site,” she said.

“To date, we have received reports of the structure being recently damaged by divers attempting to remove parts of it; of items that belonged to the crew being taken off the site; and that one of the propellers was being made ready to be recovered, as evidenced by recent work to it.”

She added that she and other divers with her unit intended to dive on the site to assess it as soon as weather permitted.

She has alerted the Irish Underwater Council (IUC), the main representative body of diving clubs in Ireland, seeking its assistance in raising awareness of the problem and said she had also contacted the Naval Service.

Martin Kiely, the IUC’s national diving officer, said the council’s code of conduct forbade members from interfering with wrecks or sea life and required them to respect all dive sites. “We would take a very dim view of people taking stuff from wrecks,” he said.

Ms Kelleher said the German embassy had indicated its “legitimate interest” in the wreck’s protection and preservation.

“The site has a particular sensitivity due to it being a relatively recent German naval loss with crew who are known by name, many of whom are likely to have close living relatives,” she said.

She added the removal of material from UC-42, if not reported to the Receiver of Wreck in Cork, was an offence under the Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Wreck) Act 1993 and that as well as protection under merchant shipping legislation, any artefacts fall within the definition of archaeological objects in the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004.

Ms Kelleher added that UC-42 was of particular significance as part of both Ireland and Germany’s maritime history and that a ministerial underwater heritage order may be placed on it, as with the RMS Lusitania , to restrict access and give it the protection of the National Monuments Acts.

“We will probably have to go that route to protect it,” she said. The site was “first and foremost” a war grave, where as many as 27 sailors drowned when it sank in September 1917.

It was one of 64 vessels built in its class, regarded as the first mass-produced German U-boats, which carried as many as 18 mines.

arnhem44

The inevitable has happened,a sad day indeed.For the sake of mementos and scrap a war grave is pillaged.Preusse you are right they are scum.:mad:

Morlar

I hope these people are caught and prosecuted. I wonder if any artefacts will show up at auction at some point in the future.

Jagdtiger

That's horrible, they should seal the wreck up with concrete, but I bet they'll

still try and find a way in.

cyrusdvirus

Disgraceful behaviour.

Those men died in the service of their country and should be allowed on eternal patrol in peace

HerrScheisse

I imagine that there are not a whole lot of people without scruples equipped or skilled to do that so it narrows down the field of culprits somewhat. Plus it would take some local knowledge of the waters and location of the wreck - I would assume they did multiple recces of the dive zone to determine what kind of equipment and appartus they would need to steal the fixed parts. Must have been noticed by some locals...but how much police time are they willing to spend on this :mad:

That's local history being stolen - they should be angry :mad:

I can only imagine it is for sale reasons.

HerrScheisse

I would be against sealing the wreck in concrete as it removes the possibility for viewing by genuine divers. I am no diver but seeing a sunken U-boot must be an amazing experience.

Jagdtiger

I was under the impression that war wrecks were not to be entered? (I know

for sure that nothing is to be taken).

I'd hate to see it sealed as well, in an ideal world it would not have to be

sealed,but unfortunately graves that face being robbed have to be sealed

(and the extreme location of this one no longer offers any protection to it)

Jim S

Grave robbing not to put too fine a point on it.

Buataisi

I'm not surprised with the "salvage" operation, considering the price of scrap these days...

Frist planes, now submarines...
http://joe.ie/news-politics/current-affairs/60ft-plane-stolen-from-cork-farm-0015066-1

MedalFuhrer

Shocking. These scum would sell their own mothers for a quick few quid.

arnhem44

Buataisi wrote: »

I'm not surprised with the "salvage" operation, considering the price of scrap these days...

Frist planes, now submarines...
http://joe.ie/news-politics/current-affairs/60ft-plane-stolen-from-cork-farm-0015066-1

How could someone get away with this,this operation must of taken some planning and manpower.I'm familiar with Bantry and I know there would be remote areas around there but still a sixty foot aircraft to go missing without been seen is unbelievable.If it was for scrap it must of been broken up on site surely.

Ardennes1944

im not all that surprised really, its the world we live in now, unfortunately.

who the fug

Looks like it was found .

Buataisi

Buataisi wrote: »

I'm not surprised with the "salvage" operation, considering the price of scrap these days...

Frist planes, now submarines...
http://joe.ie/news-politics/current-affairs/60ft-plane-stolen-from-cork-farm-0015066-1

I heard about it on the radio originally, apparently they had a crane and all to take it away, but it was later recovered.

A cousin of mine caught a couple lads trying to lift some old trucks off of his land for scrap. I've had a pile of radiators and an old pot taken from the back of my place, old junk maybe but that's no excuse to steal. These lads are really getting out of hand, taking whatever they please.