Sunk U-Boat 33 threatening to resurface in English Channel

The sunk U-Boat 33, which was one of the deadliest submarines in the German Naval fleet during the First World War, is threatening to rise from the depths of the English Channel, 89 years on.

London, Aug 18 : The sunk U-Boat 33, which was one of the deadliest submarines in the German Naval fleet during the First World War, is threatening to rise from the depths of the English Channel, 89 years on.

Lying in shallow waters, the wrecked UB-33 has reportedly been disturbed by passing vessels, leading to fears that it could break free from the seabed and rise to the surface.

A salvage operation has been launched to prevent it from hitting any of the hundreds of ships that cross the Channel each day, the Daily Mail reports.

The area is directly beneath the shipping lane used by ferries travelling to Calais and Boulogne, and much of the movement of the wreck has been caused by the turbulence of vessels travelling above it.

Currently, the UB-33 is lying 77ft below, but the official minimum clearance depth is 87ft.

Trinity House - the institution, which marks shipping lanes and maintains lighthouses - has temporarily, stationed a vessel over the spot to warn passing ships.

The wreckage of the submarine could not be blown up, because of the vessel's status as a registered war grave.

Another option considered would be to mark its position with a large buoy, but the Varne Bank area is so busy that one shipping source said this would be like "putting a speed hump in the fast lane of the M4".

A spokesman for Trinity House said there are now alternative plans to gently move the UB-33 to deeper water.

"It has been there a long time, but now the wreck has started to move and it is causing concern as it has once again become a danger to shipping," said Vikki Gilson.

The Trinity House said that it is not officially confirming the identity of the U-boat out of respect for the families of the dead crew.

"It is a sensitive situation because it is a war grave and we would not like to get anything wrong."

The 324-ton UB-33, officially designated a coastal torpedo attack boat, sank three years after being launched. It was capable of doing 45 miles at 5 knots (5.8mph) submerged and involved in a total of 17 patrols.

The German submarine dominated the seas - sinking at least 13 ships, damaged two others and took three as prizes as it marauded across the English Channel and North Sea in search of Allied vessels.

Finally, the hunter met its end on April 11, 1918 with all 28 crew after hitting a mine around the Varne Bank sandbank in the Dover Strait.

ANI