A British World War Two submarine that went missing in 1943 has been found off the coast of Sardinia with 71 bodies sealed inside.
The P311 submarine left Malta on 28 December 1942 to destroy Italian battleships Trieste and Gorizia but never returned after its final radio signal was heard on New Years' Day 1943.
For 73 years, no one really knew what happened to the sub until Italian wreck-hunter Massimo Domenico Bordone notice an 84-metre long and 80-metre wide object on the seabed while doing research off the coast of Tavolara.
HMS P311 was found at a depth of 100 metres sat on the Gallurese seabed with 71 bodies inside, confirming that everyone on board must have died as the sub acted as a steel coffin, depriving the crew of oxygen.
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Experts claim the inner chamber, where the soldiers were found, was not flooded when it sank, likely due to hitting a mine.
Mr Bardone told Italian newspaper, La Nuova Sardegna, "It looks like she probably went down with air sealed inside, meaning the crew eventually died of oxygen deprivation."
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The wreck was supposedly in perfect condition but for a damaged area on the prow, most likely due to hitting the mine. The Royal Navy says the wreck will not be moved despite the bodies being found inside.
RIP to those brave men on board.
Words by George Pavlou
Images via La Nuova Sardegna
Featured Image Credit:Topics: World War Two