HMS Ark Royal (91) - Rediscovery

Rediscovery

The exact location of the wreck remained unknown until mid-December 2002, when it was discovered by a BBC film crew 30 nmi (35 mi; 56 km) from Gibraltar. The crew had been working on a documentary on maritime archaeology related to major battles of the Royal Navy. Ark Royal lay in two sections: 20 m (66 ft) of the bow had separated from the rest of the ship. A large debris field, which included the remains of the funnel and bridge island, parts of the ship that came loose as the carrier sank, and aircraft from the hangars, was located between the two hull sections. Analysis revealed that the port side of the ship hit the seabed first.

The wreck was found further east than was stated after the sinking. Initially, researchers thought the wreck had been caught in currents through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean as she sank, causing the ship to drift eastwards underwater before settling. The presence of other debris in proximity to the wreck, including a Swordfish bomber that was tipped off the flight deck before the ship rolled, proved this false, as the debris would have been spread over a much wider area. The currents did affect her progress towards Gibraltar, despite being under tow for several hours. Study of the wreck also showed that attempting to restart the engines to provide power increased the stresses placed on the hull, adding to the flooding. Once power was lost, it was impossible to prevent the carrier from sinking—her fate was more the result of design flaws than of the actions of her captain.