Northern Ireland’s hidden marine heritage, including hundreds of sunken ships and crashed planes littering the seabed off the coast, is being protected by marine experts. Colin Dunlop, the project’s historic environment adviser, said the team is responsible for “protecting historic assets within Northern Ireland’s territorial waters”. This includes the recently protected merchant vessel SS Lochgarry, which sank off Rathlin Island’s coast with 23 crew members in World War Two.
The team uses a mix of old maps, historical accounts, local knowledge, and sonar to locate and record the wrecks. So far, they have located 384 sunken ships and crashed planes around Northern Ireland’s shoreline. The earliest wreck is a Spanish Armada vessel from the 1500s, but the majority are wooden sailing merchant vessels from the 19th century and World War One and Two vessels.
However, only 1% of the wrecks have been given designated protection under law, similar to that of a listed building. The team is working to raise awareness about the historical significance of such vessels, regardless of their protection status. Authorities say that while most sea divers in Northern Ireland act responsibly, there have been instances where wrecks have been damaged and had pieces taken from them.
The beautiful marine fauna surrounding the shipwrecks in Northern Ireland’s inshore and offshore regions span the previous 9,000 years. This recorded archaeological material includes prehistoric flint tools, log boats, and historic harbor installations. Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities’ Historic Environment Division and the Department of Agriculture’s Marine and Fisheries Division are partnering up to keep a live map of every recorded wreck around Northern Ireland and ensure these heritage sites are appropriately protected
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