3:13pm Thursday 9th October 2008
HMS Ledbury found the wreckage of a World War II German aircraft off the coast of Italy this week during a training exercise.
The Hunt-class minesweeper is one of a fleet of NATO naval ships taking part in the exercise in the Mediterranean.
The ship made the discovery in the Bay of Taranto, off southern Italy.
HMS Ledbury was testing her minehunting systems, when sonar operators spotted a large contact and. Lt Rob Garner said: "It was obvious from the shape and size of the sonar return that it was no ordinary find."
One of the ship's submersible vehicles was launched to take video of the wreck, lying in 30 metres of water..
Sonar operator Gavin Twigden said: “It was exciting to find such a large and rare contact. I knew as soon as I saw the sonar return that it was not a normal mine-like object.”
Members of the diving team then went down to take a further look. Simon Kimberley said, “It was pretty exciting to be diving on the wreck of an aircraft, and in such excellent conditions. From the marine life on the wreckage, it had obviously been under water for decades, though we could still make out the wings, engines, and cockpit.”
The aircraft was identified as a Luftwaffe Heinkel He111 medium bomber.
Details of the wreck have now been sent to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office for inclusion on nautical charts.
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