Britannic artifacts recovered from Titanic’s forgotten sister ship

The Greek Culture Ministry said an 11-member deep-sea team conducted a weeklong operation in May to recover relics from the wreck of HMHS Britannic, the forgotten sister ship of the Titanic. Built by the same company behind the Titanic, Britannic was designed as a luxury cruise liner but was requisitioned as a hospital ship during World War I. Its final voyage began on Nov. 12, 1916, and ended nine days later when the vessel struck a German mine in the Aegean Sea.

Divers recovered a trove of artifacts that reflect the Britannic's dual life as a floating palace and a wartime hospital ship. The haul includes the ship’s bell, its port-side navigation light, and silver-plated first-class serving trays. They also retrieved ceramic tiles from the ship’s ornate Turkish bath, a pair of passenger binoculars, and a porcelain sink from second-class cabins. The artifacts appear largely intact, with rust and erosion but few large breaks. A porcelain sink was found in pristine white, and a plate retained a vivid blue stamp reading White Star Line. Divers used closed-circuit rebreathers and other advanced diving gear to reach roughly 390 feet (about 119 meters) below the surface, where the Britannic lies shattered but recognizably whole in places. Conditions on the wreck were particularly challenging due to strong currents and low visibility. Some objects identified in planning could not be recovered because of their condition or location.

The recovered artifacts were placed in secure containers, cleaned of marine growth, and transported to the European University Association laboratories in Athens, where conservation efforts will continue. Officials said the pieces will become part of the permanent collection at the new Museum of Underwater Antiquities in the port city of Piraeus, with a World War I section that will feature Britannic as a centerpiece.

The Britannic measured 882 feet 9 inches long and 94 feet wide, with a gross tonnage of 48,158, making it Britain's largest ship at the time of its launch. The White Star Line liner set sail on its maiden voyage on Dec. 23, 1915, from Liverpool to Mudros, Greece. On Nov. 12, 1916, while transporting wounded from the front, it struck a German mine and sank within about 55 minutes, despite watertight compartments. The ship’s captain attempted to beach it on nearby Kea Island to mitigate the flooding, but the damage was already catastrophic. Of more than 1,060 people aboard, 30 were killed.

The Britannic’s wreck was later found by French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau in 1975. The sunken liner rests on its starboard side, about 390 feet below the surface, largely intact apart from a gaping hole in its bow.

The excavation and conservation effort underscores ongoing work to preserve underwater cultural heritage from World War I, a conflict that produced material remnants revealing both luxury aesthetics and wartime realities.