Researchers find the wreckage of a British submarine believed to have sunk during World War II

In a remarkable discovery, a British submarine, believed to have sunk during World War II, was found on the coast of Norway by researchers this week.

The wreckage was initially located in the spring of 2023 but was officially identified as HMS Thistle just recently. Norway’s Institute of Marine Research and the MAREANO program, which maps seabeds in Norway’s waters during routine cruises, were responsible for the discovery.

While planning the cruise, the researchers noticed unusual structures and designated a research location to investigate further. They explored the seabed using an underwater camera and eventually located the wreckage.

Senior engineer Kjell Bakkeplass, who was present during the video investigation, stated, “It is not very often that I am in the video room when new locations are being investigated, but on this particular occasion my curiosity was piqued well before the video rig was submerged in the water.”

The Institute of Marine Research shared a video that depicted the wreck underwater. After analyzing the footage, Bakkeplass continued the investigation to confirm the identity of the submarine.

Researchers identified the wreckage of HMS Thistle after consulting with the British and Norwegian navies, which narrowed it down to two possibilities. They also sought input from maritime museums, submarine experts, and other professionals in the field, which led them to conclude that the wreckage “probably” belonged to the HMS Thistle.

During a research cruise by the MAREANO program in October, they encountered the submarine wreck and made a positive identification.

Cruise leader Kyrre Heldal Kartveit explained, “In advance, we knew what characteristics we should look for; thus we were able to identify the wreck as ‘Thistle,’ but with a small caveat that it is the Royal Navy who is responsible for the final identification.”

HMS Thistle was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine on April 10, 1940, resulting in the loss of all 53 crew members on board. The sunken vessel is now considered a “war grave” due to its sinking during World War II. The British Royal Navy maintains ownership rights over the submarine, which remains 160 meters below the ocean’s surface.