The key facts

  • The submarine U-672 was discovered in August off the Devon coast at a depth of about 70 m; it was identified by the Gasperados team
  • The boat was scuttled by her own crew after an attack by HMS Balfour in July 1944; all 52 crew members survived
  • Due to an error in the documents, the recorded coordinates differed from the actual ones by about 46 miles (74 km)

A Find 82 Years Later

A German Second World War submarine, believed missing after being damaged by the Royal Navy, has been found 82 years later. The U-672 was located in August by a deep-sea diving team from Portland at a depth of about 230 feet (70 m), roughly 20 miles (32 km) off Salcombe in Devon. The Plymouth dive team Gasperados helped identify the vessel.

Circumstances of the Boat's Loss

In July 1944, U-672 was attacked by the ship HMS Balfour and sustained damage, after which she remained underwater with a leak. The commander waited as long as possible before deciding to blow the ballast tanks and bring the boat to the surface, giving the crew a last chance of survival. Gasperados diver Dominic Robinson said the crew managed to bring the boat to the surface, after which 52 crew members boarded life rafts. The next day they were picked up by British aircraft and ships and were sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. All crew members survived.

Error in the Documents

The reason the boat went unfound for so long was an error in the ship's logbook: as German historian specialising in submarines, Dr Axel Niestlé, explained, the wreck was 'in the right place', but due to a clerical error the documents recorded a position that differed from the actual one by about 46 miles (74 km).

Reaction and Memory of the Commander

Members of the Gasperados team said they were 'very pleased' to have the opportunity to help identify the vessel. Dominic Robinson described the moment of identification: when he began moving around the boat and saw individual details — the snorkel, the conning tower — he realised he would be able to film the video needed for identification. Robinson also said he had contacted the family of the submarine's commander, who after the war returned to Germany and, according to relatives, lived a 'long and happy life'. According to Robinson, the family said the commander 'would be proud and delighted to learn that the boat has finally been found'.

An underwater view of a submarine wreck, with fish swimming around it.Image source, Gasperados
Image caption,

The U-boat was scuttled by its own crew after it was attacked by the Royal Navy in July 1944

A dark, underwater view of a ship wreck surrounded by fish. The still image is a screen grab of moving footage.Image source, Gasperados
Image caption,

Divers discovered the boat in August before it was officially identified

Dominic Robinson - a diver wearing a navy blue t-shirt speaks to the camera with the sea in the background.
Image caption,

Dominic Robinson said he has spoken to the family of the U-boat's skipper, who said he would have been pleased to know it had been found

The winch of the ship was discovered and photographed during one of the dives. It is rusty and had become warn after years under water. There is a light shining on it and lots of fishing swimming around it.A police car parked. There is a police officer to the right of it and police tape with a road closure sign.Bomb on top of a metal crate on a boat. Rubble around him.