The Moroccan Association for the Protection of Marine Heritage announced the identification of preliminary sites for nine historical shipwrecks from World War I along the southern coasts of Morocco, shedding light on the region's maritime history.
The shipwrecks include vessels from apan, Norway, France, England, Portugal, and Italy. These ships are believed to have sunk due to attacks by German submarines during World War I, specifically during the unrestricted submarine warfare launched by Germany. This aggressive naval strategy targeted commercial and military ships belonging to Allied countries, resulting in losses off the southern coast of Morocco.
The identified shipwrecks span from Morocco's territorial waters to its economic exclusive zone, and the exact locations and technical details were communicated to the relevant authorities.
“The discovery is a continuation of Morocco's efforts to document its maritime heritage,” the Assalam Association stated. The association collaborates with national and international institutions to enhance knowledge in the field of underwater archaeology. Through joint efforts, Morocco's National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences (INSAP) conducted the country's first specialized training courses during international workshops held in Dakhla.
Past initiatives include determining the location of the German imperial ship Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse, which sank near Dakhla and was found more than a decade ago, as reported by Cumhuriyet. The ship was an important vessel of its time, and its discovery contributed to the historical record of naval engagements in the region.
The Assalam Association shared information and visuals related to the recent discoveries on their social media accounts to protect these wreck sites and enable further research, Cumhuriyet mentioned.
The Moroccan National Committee for Coordination, established in 2014, is tasked with ensuring the collaboration of governmental authorities and all parties involved in hydrography, oceanography, and marine cartography. .
No official statement was made regarding the exact identities of the ships.
In recent months, World War I shipwrecks were uncovered in different regions of the world. A month ago, the German supply ship Titania was discovered off the coast of Chile. In September, an offshore wind farm company detected a wreck believed to be the World War I ship SS Tobol. In November, it was confirmed in England that a shipwreck off the coast of Scotland was the British cruiser HMS Hawke, in which more than 500 crew members lost their lives.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.