By Ebi Kesiena
Greece has confirmed the recovery of artefacts from the wreck of HMHS Britannic, the Titanic’s sister ship, which sank over a century ago in the Aegean Sea after hitting a German mine during the First World War.
The salvage operation, conducted in May but only revealed on Wednesday, was detailed by the country’s culture ministry.
An 11-member team of specialist deep-sea divers using closed-circuit equipment carried out the mission, under the direction of British historian Simon Mills, founder of the Britannic Foundation.
Among the objects lifted to the surface with air bags were the ship’s lookout bell, a portside navigation lamp, binoculars, ceramic tiles from the Turkish baths, and fittings from both first- and second-class cabins.
Once brought ashore, the artefacts were secured in containers and immediately treated to remove marine growth before being transferred to the laboratories of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities in Athens, where conservation work continues.
Some items listed in the original plan could not be recovered due to their fragile state or location within the wreck.
The finds are expected to feature in the new National Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus, in a section dedicated to the First World War.
The Britannic was the third vessel in the White Star Line’s Olympic-class fleet, alongside the RMS Titanic and RMS Olympic.
Requisitioned by the British Admiralty as a hospital ship during the war, the Britannic struck a German mine off the island of Kea on 16 November 1916. It sank within an hour.
Of the 1,065 people on board, 30 lost their lives when two lifeboats were drawn into the ship’s propellers.
