The wreck of the Royal Navy warship HMS Tiger, lost at sea in 1908, has been discovered off the Isle of Wight. The discovery was announced on August 10 by the ProjectXplore dive group after a five-year investigation that pieced together archival data to pinpoint the vessel's location.
HMS Tiger sank after colliding with another Royal Navy warship, the HMS Berwick, in 1908. The incident resulted in the deaths of more than half of HMS Tiger's 57 crew members. The ship's remains lay undiscovered on the seabed for over a century until the recent find.
Organizers for ProjectXplore described the discovery as "the privilege of a lifetime to research, discover and document the wreck of HMS Tiger." They expressed hope that their work will ensure the ship's story and the memory of those associated with it endure for future generations.
A wreath was laid at the wreck site in commemoration of those who perished in the 1908 sinking.
Protecting Historic Wrecks
The discovery coincides with moves by the British government to enhance legal protections for military shipwrecks through its Armed Forces Bill. Proposed changes aim to protect wrecks from the moment of discovery, making unauthorized disturbance or removal of artifacts illegal.
Under these new provisions, divers would be permitted to visit protected sites under a "look but don't touch" policy. Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones stated that these protections would ensure "vulnerable and nationally significant monuments are protected from day one of discovery, giving lost sailors the dignity and respect they deserve."
This find adds to a series of historic shipwreck discoveries in British waters in recent years. Last summer, the remarkably preserved wreck of the British warship HMS Northumberland, which sank during the Great Storm of 1703, was documented off the coast of Kent. Earlier this year, the remains of a 17th-century merchant ship, believed to be The Fame, resurfaced on a beach in southwestern England after winter storms.
