Archaeologists achieved a significant breakthrough by recovering valuable artifacts from the ship that was a sister vessel to the Titanic more than a century after it sank. The HMHS Britannic, initially intended as a luxurious liner in 1914, was repurposed as a hospital ship during World War I shortly after its construction. Tragically, just two years later, the ship struck a mine and sank off the coast of Kea, southeast of Athens, en route to Lemnos island in Greece.
Despite being the largest hospital ship at the time, the Britannic disappeared beneath the sea within an hour of the incident. While all 1,060 passengers managed to evacuate, 30 lost their lives when their lifeboats were hit by the ship’s propellers.
Recently, officials revealed that artifacts have been successfully retrieved from the Britannic wreck for the first time. Greece’s Culture Ministry reported that a team of deep-sea divers undertook a challenging week-long operation in May to salvage items from the wreckage. Among the recovered items were the ship’s bell, navigation light, and luxurious fittings.
Divers faced adverse conditions, including strong currents and poor visibility, during the mission but managed to bring up a selection of well-preserved artifacts. These included the ship’s lookout bell, silver-plated serving trays, ceramic tiles from a Turkish bath, and a porcelain sink believed to be from the second-class cabins.
Remarkably, the sink retained its original white finish, while a plate still bore the ‘White Star Line’ stamp in bright blue. Additionally, a navigation lamp and a pair of passenger binoculars were part of the recovered items.
The Britannic wreck remained undisturbed on the floor of the Aegean Sea until its discovery by deep-sea explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau in December 1975. The recent recovery operation was a collaborative effort spearheaded by British historian Simon Mills, the founder of the Britannic Foundation. The salvaged artifacts have been transported to Athens for preservation.
These artifacts will eventually become part of a permanent collection at the new Museum of Underwater Antiquities being developed in Piraeus, Greece. The museum will include a dedicated section on the First World War, with items from the Britannic serving as a centerpiece.