HMS Tiger wreck discovered 118 years after sinking
The wreck of HMS Tiger has been found 118 years after it sank, with a diver describing the discovery and artefacts found.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The wreck of the Royal Navy warship HMS Tiger has been found 118 years after it sank, ending a long search that combined archival research with modern sonar technology. The ship went down in 1908 after colliding with a 10,000 ton cruiser, and 26 men lost their lives.
Leo Fielding, a technical diver who was part of the discovery team, described the moment of finding the wreck as unforgettable. He said the team spent years piecing together documentary evidence, including ship's logs and telegrams, to create a search box. They also studied meteorological data to recreate the wind and tide conditions on the day of the sinking.
Underwater footage shows the wreck is well preserved. The team found two intact torpedo tubes, which were the ship's main armament, complete with slewing rings that allowed them to rotate independently. They also found 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes, a 12-pounder gun, and several six-pounder guns.
Fielding said the team placed a wreath on the wreck to remember the sailors who served on board. He stressed that the wreck is not just a pile of steel on the seabed, and that remembrance is a key part of their work.
The team's priority now is education and conservation. They want to share their research and ensure shipwrecks like HMS Tiger are preserved for future generations. Fielding said the government is bringing forward new regulations to strengthen protections for such wrecks, and the team is in favour of that.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| The search team used meteorological data to model wind and tide conditions. | |
| The wreck was located 118 years after the ship sank. | |
| Two intact torpedo tubes were found on the wreck. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on a personal interview with Leo Fielding, the diver who found the wreck. The tone was celebratory and emotional, highlighting the years of research, the moment of discovery, and the artefacts found. It also touched on the team's conservation efforts and the government's new regulations.
- “It is absolutely unforgettable. I've been living and breathing technical diving for 20 years and it's a moment I will never forget.”
- “We hit the archives, we were in the libraries every weekend, piecing together the documentary evidence, a bit like you would piece together a jigsaw.”
- “It's not just a pile of steel on the seabed. It's impossible not to think about the sailors who served on board.”
Broadcast Timeline
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