Unknown WWII shipwreck discovered in Libya

[arebi]

Arebi tech diving team in Tripoli discovered WWII supply ship northeast of Tripoli, the wreck was about 100m long lie up in 58m depth, the bridge area mostly damage from what looks an explosion,
since August 2003, we have done several dive missions trying to identify the wreck, we collect some pit of pieces which lead us that this wreck could be German or Italian supply ship from WWII,
as well we discover a brass compass, after we left it to the surface and carefully clean it, a serial number and German written showed up .
her is some photos showing the compass and the serial no.

welcome any information could help to identify the wreck..

 

[arebi]

what kind of packeg it is? could this help? well come any informations....!
thanks

 

[arebi]

Dose any body have any suggestions /comments/idea where the best sort of information about such wreck ?

thanks

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

what kind of packeg it is? could this help? well come any informations....!
thanks

This container must have been for food. "Tilsiter" is a kind of cheese, and ADA might be the brand name. It says "20% fat" there too.

 

[electric_diver]

For help identifying WWII era Axis artifacts you can try the axis history forums.

Axis History Forum :: Index

Specifically for this kind of artifact you you can try the other equipment section:
Axis History Forum :: Other Equipment

 

[arebi]

Its great to answer some basic questions on unidentified wrecks..
I appreciate the ongoing efforts and the great time spent on the research, it was a wonderful discovery.

My first visit to the wreck site was in August 2003 when the wreck was unknown, on my 4th dive I observed a brass porthole and other loose artifacts strewn across the deck, more importantly I found and recover brass compass after wiping away the encrustation it appeared with name…Berlin as shown in photo, as well a small food container recovered from inside the storage room had dated 1941.
This information was very beneficial, and helped to support that the wreck was German.

We get very important information from the UK admiralty of course after we have bayed!!!! Pounds for that info:-
A German ship that was sunk in the seam area during WW2 ,bombed by British carrier based aircraft, the ship dimensions around 86m long, resting at 60m depth.

All this information matches the wreck that we have discovered…
Ship name: ACHAIA steam ship, built 1921, owned at time of loss by Atlas Levante-Linie.

We still work in collecting more information, welcome any information covering the story of the wreck..

Arebi

 

[Family Divers]

Arebi,
Do you have an email address I can contact you about this wreck? Thanks, Joe

 

[james croft]

Very interesting. Glad you were able to identify her so easily. The usual method is to find a crew member's name carved into a knife handle to identify the wreck.

 

[arebi]

Will try to extensive our search for collecting small artifacts on the next dives planning..
We are just waiting for the weather to improve and get chance of good vis..

 

[Mike Manthe]

Hi Arebi,

Congratulations! It's nice to find and identify a wreck.

One more info about the Achaia (ex Aquila). She was torpedoed on March 17th 1942.



Hmmmm, maybe I should consider to travel to Lybia for diving :14: