HMS Trooper Wreckage Found in Icarian Sea
After 14 failed expedition attempts since 2000, the final resting place of the HMS Trooper has finally been discovered. Researchers have located the British World War II submarine at a depth of 830 feet in the Icarian Sea, near the Greek island of Donoussa. The wreckage suggests that an underwater mine is responsible for the submarine’s demise.
In October 1943, the HMS Trooper embarked on a mission to the Greek island of Kalamos, where it was supposed to deploy three resistance fighters. The submarine was then tasked with patrolling the Aegean Sea, known for its German naval mines. However, the Trooper never reached its destination in Beirut on October 17, and its 64 crew members have been missing ever since.
For years, recovery teams searched for the submarine based on its last known sighting on October 14, 1943. Kostas Thoctarides, the founder of the underwater recovery company Planet Blue, proposed a different theory. He believed that the last sighting was not of the Trooper but of another submarine of the same class, leading them to search further west.
Thoctarides and his team used sonar technology to scan the area near the Aegean island of Donoussa. After detecting a large object on the seabed, they deployed a remotely operated vehicle named “Super Achille” to confirm the location of the Trooper on October 3. The challenging conditions of the Icarian Sea made the discovery process difficult.
Visual examination of the wreckage indicates that the Trooper likely fell victim to a German mine explosion. The submarine appears to have broken into three pieces, with the longest section being around 106 feet. Experts believe the ship sank while on the surface, as a hatch on the conning tower remains open.
Captain Richard Wraith of the British Royal Navy commended the Planet Blue team on their discovery and expressed hope that the families of the lost crew members could find closure. Wraith’s father, Lt. John Wraith, served as the commander of the Trooper during its final mission.
