Lost WWII German submarine U-672 located off Devon after eight decades
A dive team has identified the World War II German U-boat U-672 on the seabed near Salcombe, Devon, 82 years after it was scuttled.
Divers from the Gasperados team located the German submarine U-672 on the Devon coast, roughly 20 miles off Salcombe and 230 feet beneath the surface. The U-boat was damaged by HMS Balfour in July 1944 and its 52-man crew scuttled the vessel before escaping in life rafts; they were rescued the next day by British aircraft and ships and taken to a prisoner-of-war camp. A wartime navy log recorded the sinking at the wrong coordinates, a clerical mistake that kept the wreck hidden for 82 years.
Diver Dominic Robinson described spotting the snorkel and conning tower, which allowed video confirmation of the identity. U-boat historian Dr Axel Niestle said the wreck sits where it should, but the erroneous log placed it about 46 miles away. The discovery brings closure to surviving crew members and their families, who expressed pride that the submarine had finally been found.
Why it matters
Finding U-672 resolves a long-standing wartime mystery and honors the surviving crew and their families.
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