Devon and Cornwall Police in the UK are working hard to find out who is responsible for damaging the historic wreck of the HMS Coronation.
Divers exploring the wreck found that fishing pots had been placed across the wreck site and along a nearby scuba diving trail. Due to the protected nature of the shipwreck, diving on the HMS Coronation is undertaken through a licensing scheme, organized and administered by Historic England (HE) on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
HMS Coronation was a 17th-century British warship, specifically a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line. She was built as part of the 30 great ships program of 1677, and was launched in 1685. The ship met her fate in 1891 and sank after a storm off Penlee, Cornwall. Tragically, about 600 sailors lost their lives, and only about 20 survived the disaster.
The monitoring and security of historic protected wreck sites fall under the auspices of Operation Birdie. This is a UK-wide initiative led by multiple police forces, particularly Devon and Cornwall. The operation aims to tackle threats faced by shipwrecks and protect them from a wide range of illegal interference and damaging fishing activities.
Commenting on the damage caused by the fishing gear, Police Sargent Julian Fry from the Rural Affairs team and national lead for Operation Birdie stated:
“The South-west is home to 21 of the UK’s 57 protected wrecks. It’s so important for us, and those out on sea, to play our part in keeping these historic sites safe from any damage.
“We’re urging the fishing community to avoid placing any fishing equipment near the HMS Coronation, and indeed any other protected wreck-sites around the UK. While we fully support the local fishing industry, preservation of these nationally important heritage sites is essential. We thank the fishing industry in advance for their co-operation.”
