Deep Secrets: 140 Year Old Cargo Ship Found Off Alderney Coast

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Credit: ITV Channel TV

Deep underwater off the Alderney coast lies a 140 year old cargo vessel. A cargo vessel which went down off the coast of Alderney 140 years ago has been identified as the SS Virago.

The wreck was originally discovered in 2009 two miles from the island, but divers only uncovered its secrets recently.

Buried Deep

A thousand tonnes of machinery, including steam engines and wheels, which lie 45 meters under water has been found. The dangerous waters that surround the remains mean the divers needed favorable weather and tides to access it. Researchers are now trying to find out more about who was on the vessel, which was also built in Hull in 1871. 

Long Forgotten

One of the divers, John Paul Fallaize, described the moment they approached the abandoned remains: “There were spare wheels racked up everywhere, there were the huge three foot by four inches grindstones just laying there, parked up and forgotten about for 140 years.” The ship went down in June 1882 en route from Hull to Odessa with the loss of 26 crew and has been listed as missing ever since.

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Source: ITV