Long-Lost World War II Submarine Found Near Greek Island
After disappearing in 1943, a World War II submarine was found near the Greek Island of Donoussa. The fate of HMS Trooper has been a long-standing naval mystery, but the underwater recovery company Planet Blue has finally found the ship. Images of the ship’s wreckage also seem to confirm what caused HMS Trooper’s disappearance.
The World War II submarine went missing in 1943 while on a covert mission in Nazi-occupied Greece.
Planet Blue has a video of their footage of the World War II submarine’s wreckage you can watch below.
The video shows the 81-year-old ship on the seafloor, now dilapidated and covered in sea life. It also shows the extensive damage to the ship, with HMS Trooper having been blasted apart.
The World War II submarine went missing in 1943 while on a covert mission in Nazi-occupied Greece. It was supposed to transport a group of agents to the island of Kalamos before patrolling the Aegean Sea. When the ship failed to return to Beirut after the mission, it was reported as missing, and the crew was presumed dead.
The submarine was found in the Icarian Sea, North of Donoussa. The Icarian Sea is known for its treacherous weather and choppy water, making it particularly difficult to find the wreckage. HMS Trooper was found on the seafloor 830 feet beneath the water’s surface.
The Search For HMS Trooper
Kostas Thoctarides led Planet Blue’s efforts to find the lost World War II submarine, using a combination of historical research and modern technology. First, the researchers used military correspondence and documented sightings to narrow down where the HMS Trooper disappeared. With a general location determined, they used a sonar device and a remotely operated vehicle to find the site.
Planet Blue has been trying to find the missing World War II submarine for some time, with numerous failed expeditions. After 14 failed expeditions further to the East, the team was finally able to locate the wreckage. Those expeditions were thrown off by a 1943 sighting of the ship that has now been confirmed as erroneous, likely misidentifying another British sub as HMS Trooper.
What Happened To The Sub?
The most historically significant detail to come from discovering the World War II submarine is the extensive damage. A large explosion blasted HMS Trooper into three sections, with the bow, midship, and stern being spread across the seafloor. The explosion seems to confirm that HMS Trooper was sunk by a German naval mine, solving the mystery of its disappearance and confirming a long-standing theory among historians.
After all these years, the families of the World War II submarine’s crew have finally been informed of what happened. All 64 crew members aboard HMS Trooper died when the ship was sunk, with the entire crew officially listed as missing and presumed dead until now. Due to its status as a mass military grave, Planet Blue left the site undisturbed after discovering it.
Eight decades after the World War II submarine disappeared, Planet Blue has finally solved the mystery of what happened. The discovery of the wreckage has brought a sense of closure to the story, revealing where the ship sank and the likely cause. Thanks to the efforts of Kostas Thoctarides and his team, the fate of HMS Trooper is no longer a mystery.
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