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| Lost WW1 German U-boat wreck found off Norfolk coast | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The wreck of a World War One German U-boat has been found off the coast of Norfolk. | |
| Scans by windfarm developers showed the submarine lying about 55 miles (90km) east of Caister-on-Sea. | Scans by windfarm developers showed the submarine lying about 55 miles (90km) east of Caister-on-Sea. |
| U-31 went missing in January 1915, struck a mine in the North Sea and sank. All 35 men on board died. Its whereabouts were not known until now. | U-31 went missing in January 1915, struck a mine in the North Sea and sank. All 35 men on board died. Its whereabouts were not known until now. |
| As an official military maritime grave, the wreck of U-31 will remain in its final resting place. | As an official military maritime grave, the wreck of U-31 will remain in its final resting place. |
| U-31 was the first of 11 Type U-31 submarines to be commissioned by the Imperial German Navy between 1912 and 1915. | U-31 was the first of 11 Type U-31 submarines to be commissioned by the Imperial German Navy between 1912 and 1915. |
| More on this story and others from Norfolk here | More on this story and others from Norfolk here |
| Numbered from 31 to 41, eight sank, three surrendered and the whereabouts of two - including U-31 - was unknown, Mark Dunkley, marine archaeologist at Historic England, said. | Numbered from 31 to 41, eight sank, three surrendered and the whereabouts of two - including U-31 - was unknown, Mark Dunkley, marine archaeologist at Historic England, said. |
| He called the discovery by windfarm developers ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall "a significant achievement". | He called the discovery by windfarm developers ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall "a significant achievement". |
| 'Remarkable condition' | 'Remarkable condition' |
| Scans of the seabed turned up more than 60 wrecks over a two-year period. Most of these were already known about, but the U-boat was "entirely unexpected", developers said. | Scans of the seabed turned up more than 60 wrecks over a two-year period. Most of these were already known about, but the U-boat was "entirely unexpected", developers said. |
| At first it was thought the wreckage might be a Dutch Navy submarine, missing since June 1940, however, after several dives it was eventually found to be the much earlier German submarine. | At first it was thought the wreckage might be a Dutch Navy submarine, missing since June 1940, however, after several dives it was eventually found to be the much earlier German submarine. |
| A team from Lamlash North Sea Diving managed to get clear footage of the U-boat, lying on the seabed at a depth of 98ft (30m), allowing accurate identification of U-31. | A team from Lamlash North Sea Diving managed to get clear footage of the U-boat, lying on the seabed at a depth of 98ft (30m), allowing accurate identification of U-31. |
| U-boats and U-31 | U-boats and U-31 |
| Source: BBC iWonder/ScottishPower Renewables | Source: BBC iWonder/ScottishPower Renewables |
| "After being on the seabed for over a century, the submarine appears to be in a remarkable condition with the conning tower present and the bows partially buried," Mr Dunkley said. | "After being on the seabed for over a century, the submarine appears to be in a remarkable condition with the conning tower present and the bows partially buried," Mr Dunkley said. |
| "Relatives and descendants of those lost in the U-31 may now take some comfort in knowing the final resting place of the crew and the discovery serves as a poignant reminder of all those lost at sea, on land and in the air during the First World War." | "Relatives and descendants of those lost in the U-31 may now take some comfort in knowing the final resting place of the crew and the discovery serves as a poignant reminder of all those lost at sea, on land and in the air during the First World War." |
| Should plans for a windfarm in the area go ahead, developers have given assurances the site will not be disturbed. | Should plans for a windfarm in the area go ahead, developers have given assurances the site will not be disturbed. |