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Lost Wreck Found: Tampa's 107-Year Mystery Solved
30 Apr
Summary
- The US Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, lost in 1918, has been found.
- A British dive team discovered the wreck 50 miles off the Cornwall coast.
- All 131 crew members perished when the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat.
The US Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, lost in 1918, has been located off the Cornwall coast after more than a century. A British dive team found the wreck at a depth of 300 feet, approximately 50 miles from shore. The discovery marks the end of a 107-year mystery surrounding the vessel's disappearance during World War I.
The Tampa was struck by a single torpedo from a German submarine, UB-41, on September 26, 1918. The attack resulted in a secondary explosion, and the ship sank within minutes. All 131 crew members aboard, comprising 111 Coast Guardsmen, four US Navy sailors, and 16 Britons, were lost. This represented the largest naval loss for US forces during the war.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the identity of the wreck using archival images and data. The dive team spent three years researching and exploring potential sites. The Coast Guard has expressed its commitment to further exploring the wreck using advanced robotics.
