Divers have discovered a German wartime submarine 20 miles off the coast of Devon, 82 years after it sank. The wreck was initially described as an unidentified German U-boat by Ian Taylor and the Skin Deeper team while diving in the channel, but it was suspected to be a First World War sailing vessel.
Dom Robinson, 55, from Plymouth, and his diving team Gasperados decided to visit the wreck 20 miles off the coast of Salcombe in the hopes they could identify it. After consulting boat historian Axel Niestlé, they found the wreck to be the U 672, a Type VIIC submarine lost in 1944. It sank after being attacked by HMS Balfour on July 18 of that year.
Dom said: "During World War II, we used these weapons called Hedgehogs, which were basically these mortars used to sink ships.
"A hedgehog weapon would be fired in front of the ship, they would sink and attach to the submarines, causing them to fill with water due to holes in the frame work.
"This particular ship held 52 crew members – all of which miraculously survived.
"When the crew realised they were filling with water – it became very apparent they couldn't pump the water out as fast as it was filling – or drive home.
"So, they waited until dark to rise to the waters
Divers Identify Sunken German Submarine Off Salcombe