The Ministry of Defence has declined to speculate on the fate of metal reportedly including two anchors that was salvaged illegally from the wreck of the Second World War battleship HMS Prince of Wales off Malaysia, stating that Malaysian authorities lead the investigation, according to answers to written parliamentary questions.
Replying on 4 June to six questions tabled by Lord West of Spithead, Labour, Minister of State Lord Coaker repeated in each response that “The Malaysian authorities have primacy over the investigation into the illegal salvage of HMS Prince of Wales,” and that it would be “inappropriate to comment on the alleged perpetrators at this stage, or speculate on the future preservation of the artefacts, including any metal recovered, until they have concluded.”
The same wording covered queries about the reported anchors, the status of those detained, and any plans for disposal of the seized material.
On a question about whether human remains were being held with the recovered metal, Lord Coaker offered a single categorical statement: “The Ministry of Defence has not received any information to suggest any human remains have been found.”
Pressed on what steps the United Kingdom has taken to reclaim material from the wreck, the minister again pointed to Malaysian primacy, suggesting that London is, for now, relying on diplomatic and legal channels rather than launching a direct recovery effort.
Lord West also asked whether any ships in the HMS Prince of Wales carrier task group, currently bound for the Indo-Pacific on Operation Highmast, would visit Malaysia or Singapore. While operational details remain classified, Lord Coaker confirmed that “port visits to Malaysia and Singapore are part of the deployment.”
HMS Prince of Wales and the battle-cruiser HMS Repulse were sunk off the Malay Peninsula in December 1941, with more than 800 sailors lost between them. Both wrecks have suffered extensive scavenging in recent years, driven by black-market demand for pre-radiation steel and non-ferrous metals.
this is grave robbing and a despicable act. those brave souls lost their lives fighting the first evil empire of Japan. the nations from where these scum come from were no doubt the very ones that the fleet was there to protect it is a heinous crime and those responsible MUST BE FOUND AND PUNISHED.
Andy,
Absolutely agree, despicable human conduct. Navies should be empowered to conduct summary trials at sea for those disturbing human remains for profit. Floggings, and drawing and quartering or hanging the guilty would seem appropriate. Would probably have a significant deterrent effect on this behavior.
“ Both wrecks have suffered extensive scavenging in recent years, driven by black-market demand for pre-radiation steel and non-ferrous metals.”
@George you published a rather good, well referenced, article that made a clear case that this was not the driver?
At the very least a link to that article is called for?
These ships are fairly shallow (68 to 90m) so are very easy pickings in an area that is full of very poor people and have 000’s of tons of high grade (valuable) scrap metal.
They are so easy to get to that they are popular with Technical Divers, you can book a dive trip as part of a package deal with Thai Airways. Due to cost, distance and not being in our waters we can’t protect them (unlike Royal Oak and Vanguard in Scapa).
I should explain I am a qualified but non Technical Diver so they are out of out of my depth but, I have done dives on wrecks and seen how things work when access is easy. As I see it there are 3 options available, non of which are ideal.
1. Just accept it and move on. That’s pretty well what has happened to the wrecks from Jutland, they are nearly all gone. In 20 years time if no one does anything they will be gone. That’s a horrid idea as these are war graves 😖
2. Make it a National matter of Respect and deal with once and for all. The RN own the salvage rights so why not go and do it ourselves, but properly and respectfully. Appoint a respected Salvage company as a contractor backed up by RN divers and U.K volunteers (we have 000’s of Tech divers in U.K). Remove all the scrap and the remains and bring them all home, reuse the scrap for new RN ships and inter the remains either at Sea or near the memorial at the National Memorial. Much better than the scrap ending up in a Chinese Frigate and the bones ground up as fertiliser.
The problem with that one is finding someone in Government who gives a damn.
3. This may sound odd but it actually does work. You help to promote them as a registered Dive Site for local Tourism ! Once the locals and their Governments see the wrecks as being a valuable asset as a long term revenue earner they tend to get protected far better. The locals effectively become the eyes and ears that watch over them as it’s in their own self interest to do so.
I’ve actually dived on the Thistlegorm in the Red Sea and she is far better protected now than 25 years ago when I first dived on her. As long as Boats don’t moor on the wreck there is now very little further degradation and with Live aboard the wreck is guarded 24/7. In the Philippines I’ve dived on reefs that were very heavily damaged by Dynamite Fishing by locals, they were encouraged to stop it and work on Dive Boats as they earned a far better regular income. Those reefs are now recovering and form part of a marine National Park.🤔
My option would be No1 but unless someone can get the present POW onboard as his Father was with the Mary Rose it just isn’t going to happen.
I WANT EDIT BACK 🤬 I’m a nit wit its the Memorial at “The National Memorial Arboretum”.
Oh and if you have never been it’s one of things in this country we can genuinely be proud of. It’s just an amazingly lovely place of respect and serenity for all sorts of reasons.
Thanks that are constructive ideas, well said.
I think we could replace these accessible wrecks each with an appropriate memorial, which should be kept in good condition by regular checks ups by the Wargraves Commission with help from the RN.
Few now have a memory or respect for anything Holy concerning our history or the sacrifice of those who died defending what was best.
We should ask the next of kin for their wishes before anything is done.
This is a war grave that is being desecrated. Get Japan to police the site, it’s their fault Prince of Wales is there.
“Driven by black market demand for pre radiation Steel”.
A previous article debunked this claim.
“It’s true guv, I read it here”.
Very disrespectful how would they feel if it was there relatives on board the wreck .