Lost WWII warships seen for first time in 80 years on seabed

The location of three previously undiscovered shipwrecks from the evacuation of Dunkirk during the Second World War appear to have been found.

A survey carried out by Historic England and the French marine heritage agency, Drassm, surveyed 30 wrecks sunk off the French coast during the rescue of more than 330,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk.

The mission was named Operation Dynamo, but is often referred to as the ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’.

The study initially located and studied 27 wrecks known to be in the area using a multibeam echosounder, which bounces soundwaves off the seabed to create 3D images of the surface.

Using this technique, the team also found three previously undiscovered wrecks – although they will not be named until their identities have been confirmed by divers.

During the exploration the identities of two shipwrecks have been corrected, with the French auxiliary minesweepers Denis Papin and Moussaillon previously mixed up. The pair were sunk by air attacks on June 1, 1940.

The identity of another vessel, the Normannia, has also been confirmed. Imaging of the wreck is so detailed that the davits, from which lifeboats once hun, can be clearly seen.

Many of the wrecks are in relatively good condition, but the recent survey highlighted changes to some, including HMS Keith. Surveyed in 2016 and 2019, the destroyer appears to have degraded significantly in recent years, with the hull collapsing away from the rest of the warship.

However, the Germans had already put the main docks at Dunkirk out of action, meaning troops had to await rescue from the beach. Destroyers were not able to get within a mile of the shore, meaning soldiers were ferried out in small craft – just 8,000 escaped on the first day.

In total, 338,226 troops were rescued. The mission involved 933 ships, of which 236 were lost.

MORE : 10 stunning photos show dramatic evacuation of Dunkirk in colour

MORE : Original Dunkirk ‘little ship’ converted into a houseboat up for sale for £300,000

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.