News
UN Agreement gives ships lost in World War One greater protection
Many thousands of sailors and merchant navy personnel lost their lives in the Great War, and now the huge number of ships sunk in the conflict are to be offered increased protection under a UN agreement.
Many of these wrecks are currently threatened by salvage operations, deliberate destruction and looting.
But experts from 36 states meeting in Belgium have been hearing how the Unesco Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage will increase safeguards.
Introduced in 2001, the convention only applies to ships sunk at least 100 years ago.
With the centenary of World War One imminent, the agreement is soon to be extended to thousands of sites.
“It makes a real legal difference,” said Ulrike Guerin, of Unesco.
“It prevents the pillaging, which is happening on a very large scale. It prevents the commercial exploitation, the scrap metal recovery, and it will have regulations on the incidental impacts, such as the problem of trawlers going over World War One sites.”
The naval losses suffered by the belligerents during World War One pale in comparison with the suffering in the trenches.
However, there were a number of large-scale engagements, including the Battle of Jutland and at Gallipoli.
The locations of many of the wrecks of these ships are known and have proved popular with recreational divers but also with commercial salvage companies.
The issue of dismemberment for salvage has become a major problem, especially as the price of metals has increased in recent years.
In 2011, the remains of three British cruisers which were sunk in 1914 were dismantled by Dutch ships.
HMS Aboukir, HMS Hogue and HMS Cressy went down with the loss of 1,500 lives, but the remains of the ships were destroyed for the copper and bronze they contained.
The Netherlands is said to be close to signing the convention and that would help prevent this type of action in the future.
However, the increase in the number of sites that signatories of the convention will soon become responsible for raises concerns about resources.
“The heritage managers of countries like France and Belgium and the rest are now staring down the barrel of a major headache,” said Dr Innes McCartney, who has led six research expeditions to the wrecks from the Battle of Jutland.
“There are war graves in the English Channel that in the past few weeks have been subject to salvage, within sight of land. This issue is ongoing. If you want to stop it, it’s a matter of resource. Mouth is one thing but money is what makes the difference.”
While Britain has not signed the convention, the government has taken the view that it will observe the spirit of the agreement.
The researchers also want to compile a global inventory of ships lost in the war and carry out investigations on erosion. Apart from these steps, the scientists say the biggest issue is education.
“The very fact that there were twice as many merchant ships sunk in World War One than World War Two is a statistical fact that the vast majority of the public have no cognisance of,” said Dr McCartney.
“One of the challenges is to show people what is there and that it is very much part of their cultural history and legacy.”
Source: www.bbc.co.uk/news
News
Get up to 40% off Red Sea liveaboard itineraries in 2024 with Scuba Scene
M/Y Scuba Scene was launched in April 2023 and is the ultimate luxury steel-hulled liveaboard located in the Red Sea. She is 48m long, fitted to rigorous safety standards, and makes a great home away from home to enjoy some of the world’s most spectacular dive sites.
She is spacious, comfortable, and beautifully laid out, with a maximum capacity for 28 diving guests. Two large speedboats fitted with tank racks and dive ladders make life easier for divers – no more being hauled into a rib and face-planting on the dive gear. With no bedrooms on the lower deck, it means engine noise won’t spoil your sleep!
This boat comes highly recommended for shark and pelagic lovers, Tech divers, and fans of coral reefs and wrecks – a luxury yacht, friendly crew, knowledgeable guides, and delicious food.
GET 40% OFF Scuba Scene on the following dates:
2nd September – Wrecks of the North
9th September – Best of the Red Sea – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
21st October – Shark Week – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
Or 20% OFF:
28th October – Shark Week – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
11th November – North & Brothers
18th November – Shark Week – Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone
To book your space of for further enquiries please contact holidays@oysterdiving.com or call 0800 699 0243.
Blogs
The BiG Scuba Podcast Episode 180: Dawn Kernagis
Gemma and Ian chat to Dawn Kernagis. Dawn joined DEEP in 2023 as the Director of Scientific Research. DEEP is an ocean technology and exploration company with a mission to ‘Make Humans Aquatic.’ DEEP’s undersea habitat and submersible systems, combined with multi-phased diver and human performance training, will create the next evolution of subsea science, research, and exploration capabilities. Dawn is a NASA-trained NEEMO Aquanaut, Explorer’s Club Fellow and Women Divers Hall of Fame Inductee and who is also tasked to establish DEEP’s first US presence in North Carolina. Dawn has also been a diver with numerous underwater exploration, research, and conservation projects since 1993, including the mapping and record-setting exploration of some of the deepest underwater caves in the world.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-kernagis-995383152/
The BiG Scuba Podcast is brought to you by Narked at 90. “Beyond Technical” Narked at 90 If you are thinking of moving across to tech diving or completely new to diving, Narked at 90 can advise and guide on the best equipment and set up for your personal or commercial requirements https://www.narkedat90.com/. There is currently a code for you to use for purchases and the code is BIGSCUBA2024.
If you are interested in the INSTA360 action camera we discussed then please click this link: https://www.insta360.com/sal/x3?utm_term=INRAI8S
We hope you have enjoyed this episode of The BiG Scuba Podcast. Please give us ★★★★★, leave a review, and tell your friends. Contact Gemma and Ian with your messages, ideas and feedback via The BiG Scuba Bat Phone +44 7810 005924 or use our social media platforms. To keep up to date with the latest news, follow us:
We are on Instagram @thebigscuba
We are on Facebook @thebigscuba
We are in LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian%F0%9F%A6%88-last-325b101b7/
The BiG Scuba Website www.thebigscuba.com
Amazon Store : https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thebigscuba
Visit https://www.patreon.com/thebigscubapodcast and subscribe – Super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.
🎧You can listen to the BiG Scuba Podcast on all major podcast platforms including …. iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify and Stitcher 😀. ISSN Number 2752-6127
-
Blogs4 weeks ago
Dive Indonesia Part 3: Dive into Lembeh Trip Report
-
Gear Reviews1 month ago
GEAR REVIEW – Revolutionising Diving Comfort: The Sharkskin T2 Chillproof Suit
-
News3 months ago
PADI Teams Up with Wellness Brand Neuro to Drive Ocean Change and Create a Blue State of Mind
-
Blogs2 months ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs3 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Blogs2 months ago
Seagrass Awareness Month brings critical food source for Manatees to centre stage
-
Marine Life & Conservation3 months ago
Save the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
Blogs2 months ago
SOMABAY: Scubaverse interviews Wolfgang Clausen, General Manager, ORCA Dive Clubs