Heritage order to be placed on sunken U-boat for safety

An exclusion, or heritage, order is expected to be placed on a World War One German U-boat which will prevent irresponsible divers from tampering with it and possibly risking injury or death.

The UC42, which sank at the entrance to Cork harbour on September 10, 1917, is laden with mines. It was laying them from special underwater tubes when an explosion occurred in its stern, resulting in the loss of all 27 crew onboard.

In 2012, the Naval Service covered the mine chutes and erected signs around the wreck advising divers not to approach the submarine for safety reasons.

Subsequently, an unknown group of divers removed the warning notices and the covers that had been placed on the chutes.

The Department of Defence says the threat to safety from the unexploded ordnance onboard the submarine remains and while there is no evidence of any further interference with the wreck site, the situation will be monitored and whatever action is appropriate will be taken.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Naval Service, have re-examined the submarine and concluded the current condition of the wreck is such that the cost of creating a physical barrier to make the vessel safe is prohibitive.

An option now being considered by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is placing a heritage order on the wreck.

This will have the effect of making any dive activities on it subject to licensing under the National Monuments Act.

A spokesman for the department stressed the artefacts contained within the wreck are archaeological objects under the terms of the National Monuments Act and as such cannot be removed or interfered with without a licence from the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Anything removed from the wreck must also be declared to the receiver of wrecks who is tasked under the Merchant Shipping Salvage and Wreck Act (1993) with establishing ownership.

“The wreck is also a war grave, possibly containing the remains of 27 submariners and as such should be treated with appropriate respect,” the department spokesman said.

The submarine is lying in 27 metres of water at Cork harbour and is still relatively well preserved.

A Department of Defence spokesman said any unauthorised access by a diver to the submarine could inadvertently destabilise the munitions, endangering themselves and destroying the wider site.

“As we’re coming into the summer and the dive season re-commences, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will issue further warnings and information so that the risk is brought home to all concerned,” he said.