Dozens of artifacts from the wreck of the HMHS Britannic, including the ocean liner’s bell, which has been lying on the seabed off the Greek island of Kea for over one hundred years, are to be recovered and prominently displayed at a new archaeological museum in Greece.
The Central Council for Modern Monuments has green-lighted the recovery of a number of artifacts from the shipwreck. These will be preserved and displayed at Greece’s Underwater Archaeology Museum, currently under construction at Piraeus near Athens.
The items set to be recovered include about 20 porcelain plates, 15 glass bottles, the vessel’s bell, and its Marconi wireless system.
Simone Mills, the president of The Britannic Foundation, who has also bought the shipwreck, requested the recovery of the artifacts—all of which will be showcased at the new Underwater Archaeology Museum, set to open its gates to visitors in 2026.
The recovery operation, expected to be carried out this month, is considered ground breaking due to the depth at which the Britannic is situated. This presents a number of technical difficulties, and a number of specialized divers will take part in the operation.
After all recovered artifacts are thoroughly cleansed and any salt debris has been removed, they will be transferred to the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities’ facilities. There, they will be prepared for display at the new Greek Underwater Archaeology Museum, set to open its doors to visitors in 2026.
The Britannic was the largest vessel in the world at the time. It sank in November 1916 off the coast of Attica after colliding with a German mine. The British Navy ship served as a wounded soldiers’ hospital and now lies at a depth of 122 meters (400 feet). It was discovered in 1975 by French explorer Jaques Cousteau.
Mapping the Britannic shipwreck, from which a number of artifacts will be displayed at a new Greek museum
Jacques Cousteau was so fascinated by the mystery of the Britannic shipwreck that he scoured the depths of the Kea coast in the hopes of locating it.
The Britannic ocean liner was the sister ship of the Titanic and was christened during World War I by the British Navy. At the height of the war, the Britannic was converted into a hospital ship. It sank in 1916 after hitting a German mine somewhere off the coast of Attica.
Decades later, the Greek Department of Underwater Antiquities, helmed by architect-engineer Katerina Tagonidou, employed special technology in the hopes of further analyzing the Britannic wreck and attaining underwater footage of the ship’s remains.
In 2014, diving expeditions headed to the waters off Kea. The project lasted approximately ten days.
The Greek teams used state-of-the-art submarines and ROV (Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle), which were transported by the Maltan “U-BOAT NAVIGATOR” ship.
Tagonidou and the Department of Underwater Antiquities aimed to use photographic footage captured by the diving expeditions to verify the condition of the Britannic.
Of the approximately 1,300 passengers on board, 30 lost their lives when the ship sank. The Britannic’s final resting place remained a mystery until 1975, when Jaques Cousteau announced its discovery to fans worldwide.
In 1996, Simon Mills bought the wreck. He has subsequently written two books about it and has appeared in many television documentaries on the Britannic.
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