World · Europe · 14 hrs ago
German U-672 submarine wreck found off Devon 82 years after it vanished
Divers identified the German submarine U-672 off the coast of Devon, 82 years after it went missing during World War Two.
The wreck is about 20 miles from Salcombe and lies roughly 230 feet underwater.
The Royal Navy attacked the U-boat in July 1944, and its crew scuttled it after it was damaged.
All 52 crew members survived, were rescued and taken to a prisoner-of-war camp; they later returned to Germany.
Incorrect coordinates in a Navy log placed the wreck about 46 miles from its actual position, delaying its discovery.
Divers used features including the submarine’s snorkel and conning tower to identify it, bringing new clarity to what happened to the vessel.
Plymouth dive team Gasperados identified the German U-672 submarine wreck about 20 miles (32km) off Salcombe, Devon.
The wreck lies about 230ft (70m) underwater and had gone undiscovered for 82 years.
The submarine was attacked by the Royal Navy vessel HMS Balfour in July 1944 and scuttled by its 52 crew, all of whom survived.
A clerical error in a navy log placed the wreck’s recorded position about 46 miles (74km) from its actual location.
The crew were rescued, taken to a prisoner of war camp and returned to Germany after the war.
- Who
- Plymouth dive team Gasperados identified the wreck. The U-672’s 52 crew survived its sinking.
- What
- The missing German U-boat U-672 was identified underwater.
- When
- It was attacked and scuttled in July 1944, and identified in 2026, 82 years later.
- Where
- About 20 miles (32km) off Salcombe, Devon, at a depth of about 230ft (70m).
- Why
- The wreck remained undiscovered because a navy log recorded incorrect coordinates.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
HMS Balfour attacked the U-672, and its 52 crew scuttled the submarine.
A deep sea diving team from Portland discovered the wreck.
Plymouth dive team Gasperados identified the wreck as U-672.
- Submarine
- U-672
- Discovery location
- About 20 miles (32km) off Salcombe, Devon
- Wreck depth
- About 230ft (70m)
- Attack
- HMS Balfour, July 1944
- Crew
- 52; all survived
- Coordinate error
- Recorded position differed by about 46 miles (74km) from the actual position
3 sources
What people are saying
due to a clerical error in the documents
Once we started moving around it and I started seeing the individual features - I saw the snorkel, I saw the conning tower, all those kind of things - I knew that we were going to get the video needed to identify it, so I was really pleased about that.
I saw the conning tower, all those kinds of things - I knew that we were going to get the video needed to identify it. So I was really pleased about that.