Divers Identify WWI Royal Navy Ship HMS Bayano After 110 Years Underwater

A diving team has successfully identified the wreck of HMS Bayano, a Royal Navy patrol ship torpedoed by a German submarine during World War I, more than a century after it sank off the coast of Galloway.

The discovery was made by seven technical divers from the community-led initiative ProjectXplore, who formally published their findings after a series of dives in the North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

HMS Bayano, an Armed Merchant Cruiser, was sunk by the German U-boat U-27 on 11 March 1915, leading to the loss of 198 officers and crew. Until now, the wreck had never been conclusively located.

The confirmation followed months of detailed research at the UK National Archives in Kew and the Glasgow City Archives, along with a sonar survey and dive expedition conducted off Stranraer on 12 and 13 October 2025.

The dives were carried out aboard the vessel MV Aquaholics 5, supported by skipper Richard Lafferty and crew member Timmy Donaghy.

According to the team’s report, the wreck lies at a seabed depth of 106 metres in the North Channel, with the bow pointing north-northwest and the stern facing south-southeast. The ship rests with a 20-degree list to starboard and rises more than 15 metres above the seabed in certain areas.

The wreck’s position was found to be 1.7 nautical miles from the location reported by surviving Royal Marine Private Arthur Craze, and 2.4 nautical miles from the coordinates recorded in U-27’s wartime diary maintained by its commander, Kapitänleutnant Wegener.

The team explained that the identification was based on multiple distinctive features, including the gun size and position, layout of the single funnel, refrigeration plant, and railing patterns.

They added that HMS Bayano was the only British Armed Merchant Cruiser of the First World War equipped with two six-inch (152 mm) guns, both of which were visible on the wreck in their expected positions.

The ship was originally built as a refrigerated fruit carrier for the company Elders & Fyffes but was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1914 to serve as an armed patrol ship.

The divers said the site serves as a striking reminder of how quickly converted merchant vessels were exposed to danger during wartime operations in the North Channel.

Team members described the find as both a historical breakthrough and a tribute to those who served aboard the ship. They added that the wreck remains in remarkably intact condition, calling it an exceptional piece of underwater heritage.

The team expressed hope that their work would help preserve the story of HMS Bayano and its crew for future generations.

The attack that sank the vessel occurred at 05:15 in the early hours of 11 March 1915, when most of the crew were asleep. The ship reportedly sank within minutes after being struck by a torpedo from U-27. Out of nearly 200 people on board, only 26 survived.

Historical accounts mention that Captain Carr, commanding officer of HMS Bayano, remained on the bridge as the ship went down. Witnesses said he smiled and waved to the men who managed to reach the lifeboats, calling out, “Good luck to you boys.”

References: BBC, scubadivingindustry

Source: Maritime Shipping News