Divers identify wreck of ship sunk in 1918 off Orkney
- Published
Divers confirmed the wreck was the SS Express
A team of divers has finally identified the wreck of a ship which sank off Orkney in 1918 with the loss of 13 lives.
The SS Express sank north of Scapa Flow following a collision with another ship.
The cargo vessel had provided a lifeline service working between Orkney and mainland Scotland.
Expedition leader Will Schwarz said the dive team were "absolutely bouncing" that their efforts had paid off.
The ship sank after colliding with another vessel
Most of those lost on the SS Express when the stern was cut off were local men.
Mr Schwarz told BBC Radio Orkney a lot of time, planning and effort went into the dive mission, 10 miles (16km) south east of Copinsay.
Divers aboard the Clasina located the wreck on the second day of their expedition.
Mr Schwarz said a "very good team" had put an ultimately successful plan together.
"The SS Express was an incredibly vital ship for Orkney back in the day," he said.
"The sad thing about SS Express was 13 people lost their lives, 11 locals and two Royal Navy personnel who were acting as gunners.
"It was very poignant the fact that this is giving the local community some closure on what happened to some of their ancestors.
"It's absolutely incredible."
Expedition members, including leader Will Schwarz, right, were delighted with the discovery
One of the divers who captured images of the wreck was Rick Ayrton.
"The thing about diving in these areas north of Scapa Flow is the water clarity improves dramatically," he said.
"With our modern torches we can bring back some fantastic images of these lost ships."