HMS Trooper, designated N91, went missing in early October 1943 after a covert operation to land three Greek resistance agents on Kalamos, an island off Greece’s west coast. The submarine was subsequently dispatched to patrol the Aegean Sea, where German soldiers were later known to have laid naval mines.

However, when the submarine failed to arrive at Beirut on October 17, 1943, it was declared lost, with all 64 members of its crew assumed dead.

Researchers led by Greek underwater specialist Kostas Thoctarides discovered the Trooper’s wreck north of the central Aegean island of Donoussa in the Icarian Sea, a location known for its harsh weather.

“The Icarian Sea is one of the most difficult seas to navigate, with strong winds, waves, and underwater currents,” Thoctarides explained. “However, constant and persistent research paid off.”

According to Thoctarides, 14 earlier expeditions failed to locate the wreck of HMS Trooper because they were searching too far east, where the submarine had reportedly been seen on Oct. 14, 1943. He and other academics examined wartime sources and concluded that HMS Trooper may have sunk earlier in October 1943, among the seized Greek islands west of that location.

Their study paid off when they discovered the wreck of HMS Trooper on October 3, 2024.

The wreck was discovered using shipboard sonar, which builds a comprehensive picture of the bottom through the reflection of sound pulses and subsequently examined by a “Super Achille” remotely-operated vehicle (ROV).

Image:rovservices/facebook

A large explosion had broken the sub into three large parts — the bow, the midship, and the stern — which seems to confirm the researchers’ suspicion that it sank after hitting a German naval mine.

“The wreck is a war grave, so it has not been disturbed in any way, and may help bring closure to the families of those who died.”

The Trooper is presently lying on the bottom at a depth of roughly 253 meters, becoming Planet Blue’s ninth WWII submarine wreck identified in Greek seas, he added.

[source:livescience]