After more than 80 years on the seabed, what is probably the wreckage of the British submarine HMS Thistle has been discovered outside Rogaland, Norway
In a groundbreaking revelation, a new shipwreck has been unveiled in the depths of the ocean, shedding light on the secrets hidden beneath the seabed. This remarkable discovery came to fruition during a research expedition under the MAREANO program, which is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the underwater world’s biology and geology.
While the submarine wreckage was initially located in the spring, its true identity has now been definitively ascertained during a recent research cruise. This tantalizing revelation leaves us with more questions than answers – is this yet another unknown shipwreck?
When the research cruise was originally planned, the team of scientists noticed peculiar structures on their mapping screens. The MAREANO project is a collaborative endeavor involving the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), and the Norwegian Mapping Authority. Its primary mission is to comprehensively explore the ocean floor. When anomalous structures emerge on their maps, they become irresistible targets for investigation.
Fuelled by an insatiable curiosity, the researchers swiftly initiated a research site to uncover the truth about these enigmatic structures. Were they geological formations or hidden wrecks hitherto unknown to mankind?
“I rarely find myself in the video room during these explorations, but my curiosity was piqued long before our submersible cameras descended into the depths,” confessed senior engineer Kjell Bakkeplass.
As the voyage progressed, the suspicion that this was a hidden shipwreck grew stronger. Astonishingly, this recent cruise had already led to the discovery of four shipwrecks, with only one having been previously documented.
Bakkeplass expressed, “The striking resemblance between the wreck structures we had previously encountered and this newfound discovery is truly remarkable.”
The unveiling of this unidentified shipwreck adds a thrilling new chapter to the ongoing exploration of the ocean’s depths. As scientists continue to delve into the secrets of the seabed, who knows what other remarkable discoveries await?