Lusitania Wreck
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wreck Category | non-dangerous wreck |
| Status | historic |
|
Lusitania Wreck Location Marine Coordinates (DMM) |
51 24.745 N,8 32.87 W |
| Latitude, Longitude Decimal Degrees |
|
| Wreck Depth | 77 m |
| Water Depth | 92 m |
| Water Level Effect | always under water/submerged |
| Vertical Datum | Approximate Lowest Astronomical Tide |
| Name | LUSITANIA |
| Type | liner |
| Flag | BRI |
| Length | 232.3 m |
| Width | 26.8 m |
| Draught | 17.4 |
| Sonar Length | 241 |
| Sonar Width | 46 |
| Orientation | 45 |
| Tonnage | 30396 |
| Tonnage Type | gross |
| Cargo | armament,personnel |
| Conspic Visual | not visually conspicuous |
| Conspic Radar | not radar conspicuous |
| Date Sunk | May 7, 1915 |
| Original Detection Year | 1915 |
| Last Detection Year | 2012 |
| Original Source | other |
| Surveying Details | H6907/29 SANK 15M S OF THE OLD HEAD OF KINSALE, OR 512300N, 082500W. IN APPROX 50FMS. (NAVAL STAFF MONOGRAPHS, VOL.13). NCA. H5227/35 10.12.35 WK LOCATED 183DEGS, 11.2M FROM OLD HEAD OF KINSALE LT HO. (SS 'ORPHIR', DTD 2.12.35). SONAR CONTACT 512530N, 083200W. HEIGHT 70FT. CLASSIFIED ROCK. (AUBD W1123/109). H4142/44 23.3.45 SHOAL DEPTH LOCATED 8.9.44. STANDING 78FT HIGH IN GEN DEPTH 48FMS. POSN 512535N, 083250W, OR 183DEGS, 10.8M FROM OLD HEAD OF KINSALE LT. POSN BY TWO CROSS BEARINGS ONLY, BUT GYRO ERROR KNOWN. (HMS BERRY, DTD 9.9.44). THIS IS THOUGHT PROBABLY TO BE 'LUSITANIA'. H5227/35 7.8.67 SALVAGE WORK TO START ON 'LUSITANIA'. AN AMERICAN, JOHN LIGHT IS TO START WORK SOON ON RECOVERIES FROM THIS VESSEL. HER 4 PROPELLERS EACH CONTAIN 14.5TONS OF MANGANESE BRONZE AND ARE VERY VALUABLE. MR LIGHT PURCHASED THE WK FOR �1000 FROM THE WAR RISK INSURANCE OFFICE. THIS LOW PRICE INDICATES THAT NO BULLION IS ON THE WRECK. (SUNDAY TIMES, DTD 6.8.67). H5227/35 9.6.69 MR LIGHT WILL COMMENCE SALVAGE WORK IN 1969 USING DEEP DIVING EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON CONVERTED TRAWLER 'KINVARRA'. (DAILY TELEGRAPH, DTD 2.6.69). 6.5.75 MR LIGHT'S PLANS DID NOT PROCEED. (WK SECTION). H1310/82/5 5.2.82 'LUSITANIA' LOCATED IN 512449N, 083243W USING DECCA. LIES SW/NE. (R V BARR, DTD 27.1.82). E/S TRACE INDICATES WK STANDING AT LEAST 72FT HIGH IN GEN DEPTH 50FMS (NO TIDAL REDUCTION POSSIBLE). AMEND TO WK USC 60MTRS IN NEW POSN. H5227/35 27.5.82 ARTICLE IN SUNDAY TIMES, DTD 16.5.82, GIVES DETAILS OF EQUIPMENT TO BE USED BY DIVERS ON WK DURING JUNE 1982. H5227/35 27.5.82 WK LOCATED DURING SIDE SCAN SONAR SURVEY UNDERTAKEN BY SEA SURVEYS OF IRELAND, A RACAL DECCA COMPANY, AND POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED. (LL, 21.5.82). 10.8.82 EXAMINATION OF WK BY TEAM LED BY MESSRS B LISTER & D PIERCE, OPERATING FROM NORWEGIAN MV 'MYREDAG', TO COMMENCE SOON. NO INTENTION TO SALVAGE SHIP. WK LIES ON ITS SIDE IN A LEVEL SAND BASIN. (LL, 9.8.82). H5227/35 3.9.82 ARTICLE IN SUNDAY TIMES, DTD 15.8.82, GIVES DETAILS OF OCEANEERING'S ROV 'SCORPIO'. BELL WAS RECOVERED. FURTHER DIVES PLANNED. 5.11.82 THREE PROPELLERS, CUTLERY, WATCHES, ETC RECOVERED FROM WK BY OCEANEERING LTD. LITIGATION COMMENCED BY MR LIGHT REGARDING OWNERSHIP. WK REPORTED AS LYING ON STBD SIDE WITH FUNNELS AND MUCH OF SUPERSTRUCTURE COLLAPSED ON SEABED. WW2 'HEDGEHOG' MISSILES FOUND IN WRECKAGE. (BBC2 NEWSNIGHT PROGRAMMES DURING WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 1.11.82). 3.8.83 AN ACCOUNT OF SS 'OPHIR' SEARCH FOR WK IN 1935 PUBLISHED IN NAUTICAL MAGAZINE [JUN '83. VOL.229 NO.6]. 15.8.83 BELL PUT ON TEMPORARY DISPLAY AT IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM. (LL, 12.8.83). HH284/350/01 8.12.89 ONE OF THE 23 TON PROPELLERS OF THE 'LUSITANIA' IS TO BE PUT ON PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE MERSEYSIDE MARITIME MUSEUM. (LL, 14.11.89). HH284/500/02 9.3.95 UNDERWATER HERITAGE ORDER MADE BY COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND PURSUANT TO NATIONAL MONUMENTS (AMENDMENT) ACT 1987. RESTRICTED AREAS BOUNDED BY 512624N, 512224N, 083348W AND 082948W. (NATIONAL MONUMENTS DIVISION, OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS). - NM 1307/95. 14.12.01 DIVED SEPTEMBER 1999. GREGG BEMIS JNR, CHAIRMAN OF DEEP OCEAN ENGINEERING IS RECOGNISED OWNER OF WRECK, ITS FIXTURES AND FITTINGS BUT NOT ITS CARGO OR ANY PERSONAL ITEMS. WRECK IN SHATTERED STATE, AREA OF COVERED MOSAIC TILE FLOORING IN THE VESTIBULE OF FIRST CLASS ACCOMODATION STILL IN PLACE. WK LISTING 30DEGS. REMAINS OF BRIDGE AND NAVIGATIONAL EQUIPMENT LIE ON THE SEABED. BOW IS QUITE RECOGNISABLE WITH WINCH GEAR IN REASONABLE CONDITION. BRASS LETTERS OF SHIP'S NAME STILL DISCERNABLE UNDER MARINE GROWTH. (DIVE REPORT WITH PHOTOS, DIVER MAGAZINE JUN '00). 2.5.07 WK LOCATED IN 5124.745N, 0832.870W [WGD] USING DGPS. GEN DEPTH 88MTRS. LENGTH 241MTRS, WIDTH 46MTRS, HT 14.7MTRS. (INSS SURVEY 1999-2005). LIES 045/215DEGS. INTACT, NO DEBRIS. AMEND WK 72MTRS IN REVISED POSN. BR STD. SEP 2012/000029949 13.2.12 LOCATED IN 5124.745N, 0832.870W [WGD] (CENTRAL POSN). LEAST M/B DEPTH 76MTRS AT 5124.716N, 0832.931W & DEPTH 79MTRS AT 5124.762N, 0832.825W. (GSI SURVEY KRY10_02). GEN DEPTH 92MTRS. AMEND WK 76MTRS IN CENTRAL POSN. BR STD. 18.7.12 LEAST M/B DEPTH 77.59MTRS. LENGTH 241MTRS, WIDTH 46MTRS. (IRISH WKS LIST). AMEND WK 77MTRS. BR STD. SEP 2024/000206846 29.07.24 RMS LUSITANIA PROTECTED UNDER UNDERWATER HERITAGE ORDER UNDER SECTION 3 OF NATIONAL MONUMENTS(AMENDMENT) ACT 1987. RESTRICTED AREA BOUNDED BY: 5126.40N, 0833.80W [WGD] [NW CORNER]; 5126.40N, 0829.80W [NE CORNER]; 5122.40N, 0833.80W [SW CORNER]; 5122.40N, 0829.80W [SE CORNER].(IRISH MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPT OF TRANSPORT NM 41/2024, DTD 19.07.24). NFA - ALREADY AMENDED HISTORIC IN 1995. |
| Last Amended Date | Sep 29, 2014 |
Circumstances of loss
BUILT IN 1907 BY J BROWN & CO LTD, GLASGOW, WITH S TURBINE, QUADRUPLE SHAFT. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY CUNARD SS COMPANY LTD. PASSAGE NEW YORK FOR LIVERPOOL. CARGO INCLUDED GUNCOTTON, EXPLOSIVES AND SHELLS. TORPEDOED BY GERMAN SUBMARINE U 20. SANK WITHIN 15 MINUTES WITH THE LOSS OF 1198 PASSENGERS AND CREW. (SII). CONSIDERED TO HAVE SUNK DUE TO EXPLOSION IN COAL BUNKERS. (DODS).
WRECK MAP LOADING ...
51 24.745 N,8 32.87 W
Lusitania on Wreck Map
Lusitania Wreck on Google Map
Nearby Wrecks:
- Caliph Wreck 1182.2 M
- Earl Of Lathom Wreck 7227.2 M
- Kilgerran Castle Wreck 7345.6 M
- Lilian H Wreck 8516.7 M
- Dinah B Wreck 11074.3 M
- Spectator (Probably) Wreck 12279.6 M
- Bell Rose Wreck 13902.1 M
- Pegu Wreck 17348.6 M
- Other Wreck 47209 17365.9 M
- Akassa Wreck 17565.1 M
General Comments
RESTRICTED AREA BOUNDED BY: 5126.40N, 0833.80W [WGD] [NW CORNER]; 5126.40N, 0829.80W [NE CORNER]; 5122.40N, 0833.80W [SW CORNER]; 5122.40N, 0829.80W [SE CORNER].