Wreck of German ship that sank 100 yrs ago found near South Scotland

The wreck of a German U-boat that sank mysteriously almost 100 years ago has been discovered by engineers laying subsea power cables off the coast of South Scotland. Remarkable sonar images show the missing World War I submarine is largely intact and lying off the Galloway coast.

Experts believe the vessel could be the UB-85, a sub that sank in 1918, according to official records. However, naval folklore suggests it may have been attacked by a “sea monster”.

The historic discovery was made by engineers involved in the 1-billion pound Western Link project to lay a subsea power line between Ayrshire and the Wirral, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

The 385-km-long cable will carry renewable energy produced in Scotland to England and Wales. The engineers found the wreckage 120m north-west of the centre of the planned route, off the Stranraer coast. It is about 45-metres-long, with debris spilling from the stern.

The entire crew of the U-boat is reported to have abandoned the ship due to the “monster attack”. 

Once aboard the British ship HMS Coreopsis, their commander, Captain Krech described their encounter. He is said to have spoken of a beast with “large eyes, set in a horny sort of skull with teeth that could be seen glistening in the moonlight”. He apparently claimed that the sub was so damaged in its battle with the “monster”, it could no longer submerge. However, Dr Innes McCartney, a historian and nautical archaeologist who helped identify the wreckage, does not believe the tale.

“In reality, the real sea monster was the U-boat, here trying to sink ships,” he said.