Wreck raiders make off with torpedo hatch

A torpedo tube hatch was discovered missing from the Holland 5 submarine during a dive by English Heritage, the body responsible for the site.

The vessel, six miles off the Hastings coast, is the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine anywhere in the world and a designated wreck. English Heritage said a dive on August 9 confirmed the hatch, which weighed 30kg, was missing and that they reported the matter to police last Thursday (August 26).

A spokesman said: "We are working closely with police to bring offenders to account and recover this nationally important asset. It had been impossible to visit the site last year due to bad weather and the last positive sighting of the hatch was in September 2008.

"The submarine appears to have significant marine growth in the area of where the hatch was which might indicate it was removed some time ago.

"Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a licence is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973."

HMS Holland 5, commissioned in 1902, foundered six miles off the Hastings coast in August 1912. It was the last of the five Holland class submarines ordered by the British Admiralty to evaluate the potential of the submarine.

It is thought she had one of the first periscopes ever designed. English Heritage is appealing to the diving community for help in finding the hatch, which is around 30ins in diameter.

Jamie Smith, a diver from Hastings, said: "I am quite saddened and shocked someone would remove any items from this historic and protected wreck.

"We, as divers, do not have the best reputation, but there are the few that tend to spoil it for the many. It would appear this is the case with the Holland 5 torpedo hatch. This is not a diving trophy from the deep but an historic piece of protected wreck.

"If you wish to dive the wreck you can apply for a visitor's permit. This is not too complicated. You can then dive her and take your memories home with you, not the wreck as she is an underwater museum piece."

PC Duncan Cleverley, of Hastings District Police, said the artefact was probably stolen because of its scrap value.

He said: "It could have gone any time between the end of 2008 and the present day as there has since been some coral growth, so it's not likely to have been taken in the last couple of months."

Bob Mealings, acting director of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, said whoever took the hatch would not get much money if it was sold. He said: "It's only made of cast iron and the price of that has gone through the floor. They (thieves) may have thought it was worth more thinking the hatch was made of bronze."

Mr Mealings believes a team of divers would have been used to take the item before raising it to the surface using buoyancy balloons.

He said a previous dive revealed the hatch was slightly open so a hammer or crowbar may have been used to remove it.

Anyone with information can call Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999.