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Divers try to solve mystery of 100-year-old shipwreck

News imageBBC The upright wheel assembly of the wrecked vessel at the bottom of the harbour, covered in sand and marine plants.BBC
The wreck in Langstone Harbour is believed to be the Withern, but its identity has never been confirmed

A diving operation is under way to find out the identity of a ship that sank 100 years ago.

Led by Riley Conway, a member of the Nautical Archaeology Society's Sub-Aqua Club, the archaeology project is taking place in Portsmouth's Langstone Harbour.

The wreck is believed to be the dredging vessel Withern, which sank in 1926, but its identity has never been confirmed.

Conway said: "This project is about more than just a wreck. It's about uncovering a piece of Portsmouth's history that's been lost for 100 years and sharing it with the community."

The wreck's identity is a source of mystery because another dredger, the Witham, sank nearby in 1912 under similar circumstances.

Both vessels were lost on their moorings in the harbour.

News imageA group of people wearing scuba diving gear are gathered in a circle and looking at and pointing down to an image on what looks like paper. The shoreline and the top of a boat are in the background.
Scuba divers have taken part in investigations at the site

Scuba divers took part in investigations at the site on Thursday and Friday and are expected to return in July and August.

The cost of the operation is supported by a Portsmouth City Council grant as part of the Portsmouth 100 programme.

The scheme is securing funding for projects to "celebrate pride in Portsmouth" as part of the city's celebrations to mark its centenary.

News imageSonar imagery of the wreck at the bottom of the harbour. It is an orange outline of the top of the vessel, with possible machinery on the deck.
Sonar imagery is being used to gather details from the shipwreck on the seabed

The sub-aqua club's team carrying out the diving investigations called the wreck's story "as intriguing as it is elusive".

"Historical accounts suggest the vessel sank overnight without crew, leaving behind unanswered questions about how and why it went down," it said.

"With limited archival information currently available – including uncertainty over the ship's age, captain, and final moments – the project team hopes modern survey techniques will provide long-awaited answers."

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