HMS Victory - update

Submitted by Dan Hull on Thu, 2009-02-05 11:13
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After three days of intense speculation regarding the claimed discovery of the 1744 wreck site of HMS Victory, the CBA provides an update.

For the full story on this discovery, please visit our previous news item on the subject.

The current situation, as advised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), is that:

  • It has not yet been confirmed that the site is the wreck of HMS Victory
  • English Heritage has agreed to provide advice on the historical significance of the wreck, its condition and the risks to preserving in-situ, which would be the Government’s default approach in such cases
  • It is too early to give a precise indication of how long English Heritage’s assessment will take
  • DCMS is unable to make any further comments until English Heritage’s assessment has been carried out

The Ministry of Defence’s statement on the current situation can be read here

If the identity of the vessel is confirmed as HMS Victory then, as a sovereign vessel, the wreck is the property of the UK Government. The concern among marine archaeologists is that an agreement to salvage the wreck might involve unnecessary disturbance of the wreck and the sale of artefacts. Currently, however, there is nothing to indicate that this will be the case.

The Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee’s position is outlined here

For further news on this issue, stay in touch with the CBA website.