Divers recover 'Lusitania' items
- On 24/08/2011
- In Expeditions
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By Lorna Siggins - Irish Times
A diving expedition on the wreck of the Lusitania has recovered some key pieces of equipment, which were handed over to the receiver of wrecks last night.
A bronze telemotor, which was part of the ship’s steering mechanism, was among the items recovered from the vessel, which sank 11 miles off Kinsale Head, Co Cork, in 1915 after it was torpedoed by a German submarine.
The dive team, led by Eoin McGarry and sponsored by National Geographic, also recovered a telegraph, which controlled the speed and direction of the ship, and several portholes.
Receiver of wrecks and Customs and Excise officer for Cork Paddy O’Sullivan said he would be holding the items until such time as title was established.
Archaeologist Laurence Dunne, who was assigned under licence to supervise the diving expedition, said both the telemotor and telegraph would help to establish some of the facts surrounding the ship’s loss.
Mr Dunne told The Irish Times that the telegraph’s needle would show the direction in which the ship was heading after the last command was issued.
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