Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures:

Underwater activities must be prevented within 2 kilometers around SCP-2346's expected location.

SCP-2346's coordinates must be updated monthly, following this procedure:

A diving team must be sent to SCP-2346's last known coordinates and follow its expected path.

Upon visual contact with SCP-2346, the diving team will mark its exact coordinates.

Under no circumstances should communications cease between the diving team and the surface crew.

The surface crew must permanently assess the diving team's communications consistency.

A recovery team must stand ready to extract the divers if they become unresponsive or incoherent.

For evident safety reasons diving teams must include at least two personnels.

Close proximity to SCP-2346 must never exceed 8 minutes.

Description: SCP-2346 is the shipwreck of a trawler first sighted at 51.█████ -10.█████, roughly 25 kilometers South West of Dursey Island, Ireland1. SCP-2346 has no identification markings other than a nameplate reading "Die Bescheidene". There are no records of a ship by this name in any national fleet register.

Even though notable corrosion patches can be observed on the hull and external structures, SCP-2346 remains exceptionally well-conserved. Most of the equipment looks pristine and every compartment is accessible.

SCP-2346 is mobile. GPS readings, performed as per containment procedure, indicate a movement averaging 52 meters a month, with unpredictable course variations. As observed by personnel2, SCP-2346's mobility appears to increase under certain circumstances. Unmanned localization techniques, such as sonar imaging, were proven unable to detect SCP-2346.

SCP-2346 will strongly disrupt an individual's ability to focus and communicate, if the subject stays within visual range from SCP-2346 for a prolonged period of time:

Subject will lose track of its initial tasks.

Subject's environmental awareness will degrade, eventually leading to a gross disregard of safety concerns.

Subject will cease their communications or become increasingly irrational and erratic.

Over prolonged exposure to SCP-2346, subject will often try to operate or maintain various equipment aboard.

Any personnel exposed to SCP-2346 for more than 8 minutes must be removed from SCP-2346's vicinity and undergo medical examination. Recovering individuals will retain a high level of confusion and regularly express concerns about various tasks to be performed aboard SCP-2346. Over time, subjects will gradually lose their memory of SCP-2346 and will return to normal behaviour.

Though 2346.EDR-01 and 02 led to a few theories linking SCP-2346's mobility to its supposed ability to retain individuals aboard, those were never confirmed by conclusive evidences.

Additional Documentation:

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[Document retrieved by FA.█████. Original author A. Morie and any non-Foundation personnel involved in this event were submitted to the usual witness management protocols.]

After Action Report :

OIC: OF-5 A. Morie

Ship: HMS Hurworth
Assignment: Search and Rescue
27.11.1991//

At 1007, HMS Hurworth received a distress signal originating from cabin cruiser Portmagee Pride (IMO 1585234 - MMSI 250102800). HMS Hurworth immediately set course toward coordinates 51.█████ -10.█████ and initiated radio contact with Portmagee Pride to assess their situation. Portmagee Pride declared 4 men lost at sea. The missing personnel were identified to the HMS Hurworth as trained divers trying to locate the remnants of the SS Latymer.

HMS Hurworth came alongside Portmagee Pride at 1237. HMS Hurworth began to perform sonar screenings then sent OF-2 Mason (1IC) and OF-2 Howley at sea with a search and rescue perimeter restricted to 300 meters. Local elevation profile was suited for minimal decompression stops between dives, allowing Mason's team to perform multiple localization attempts. On the 3rd dive Mason managed to locate a shipwreck he first identified as the SS Latymer. His following report must be approached with extreme scrutiny.

Mason affirms that the shipwreck was in motion along the seabed, displacing a large amount of sediments. He claims that he and B. Howley were able to move aboard despite the ship's instability and low visibility. Mason declares having found 3 bodies in the accessible parts of the wreck. One was located inside a shower cabin, without respiratory equipment and clothing. The two other bodies were located in the engine room. According to him, the bodies were holding tools, and one was still gripping on a crew intercom. Mason then panicked and fled to the surface, ignoring DCS procedure and leaving OF-2 Howley aboard the shipwreck.

OF-2 Mason is now under sustained medical care. When challenged about his testimony, Mason refused to answer questions and only stated repeatedly that "all the fishes were dead". OF-2 Andrea Howley was declared MIA as no crew members were qualified to perform another dive.

HMS Hurworth reported all of the aforementioned information to fleet HQ and was subsequently ordered to cease all communications, until the arrival of an expert team.

Experimental Dive Reports (excerpts):

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Radio log transcript (16 DEC 91) :

EDT: Experimental Diving Team

SC: Surface Crew (Supervisor: Dr.███)

RT: Recovery Team

[Non-pertinent data expunged]

07:03 - SC: Ok, One. How can your hear me down there?

07:03 - EDT: Loud and clear Doc. We are just above the sand now. Approaching grid [REDACTED].

Static noise

07:05 - EDT: Doc, do you read? It is not here. We got a solid 10 meters visibility, and no eyes on her.

07:05 - SC: One, are you sure about your GPS readings?

07:05 - EDT: Please, we went through this a thousand times. We are at the right spot. The ship isn't.

07:05 - SC: Copy that One.

Static noise

07:06 - SC: One, try to push about 50 meters, bearing 320.

07:06 - EDT: Copy, One is pushing.

07:06 - SC : Two is still with you, right?

07:06 - EDT: Affirmative.

Static noise

07:08 - EDT: Surface, do you read?

07:08 - SC: Send it.

07:09 - EDT: Two sees her. We are approaching.

07:09 - SC: Good job.

07:09 - EDT: Yeah. I see her aft.

07:09 - EDT: Hold on…

07:10 - EDT: She's moving Doc. Holy shit. I can see sand trailing behind her!

07:10 - SC: …Are you sure that this is not the ocean currents?

07:10 - EDT: Yes, the water is dead still here.

07:10 - SC: Copy, One. Don't spend too much time there. You heard the briefing.

07:10 - EDT: Well, it's just that… Never mind. We went around once already. I will try to get inside the hull. Two will stay outside and secure me.

07:10 - SC: Go for it.

Static Noise

07:11 - EDT: I'm in, Surface. I got a closed door, down the deck stairs. Marking says "cold storage".

07:11 - SC: You are cleared to open it.

07:11 - EDT: The lock is sliding alright, no pro- OH FUCK!

Static Noise

07:12 - SC: Come in, One! Talk to me.

07:12 - EDT: I can't see shit, hold on.

07:13 - EDT: I'm swimming in pieces of rotting fish, I can't see past my arms.

07:13 - SC: Cool down, One. What is happening?

07:13 - EDT: It's full of dead fish! It spat a big cloud of mush when I opened the door.

07:14 - EDT: The water is warm inside. It feels thick too. Almost viscous.

07:14 - SC: Ok. Well, don't go in. You are probably swimming into the remnants of the crew's last batch.

07:14 - EDT: No, no Doc. She's been under for a couple of decades and some of the carcasses are looking fresh. It would be too long for- …

Static noise

07:15 - SC: One?

07:15 - EDT: Fuck, I think there is somebody inside, Doc. I almost bolted out.

Static noise

07:16 - EDT: Right. That's… Shit. Yeah, a dead body.

07:16 - SC: Copy One. Can you identify it?

07:16 - EDT: Female, half buried in this shit. I can barely see. Her face feels bloated. I'll try to take a pic.

07:16 - EDT: Think she is from the search party?

07:16 - SC: Possibly. Any navy insignia?

07:16 - EDT: No. Doc, I salvaged a lot of bodies, but no warm ones. Feels wrong.

07:16 - EDT: I think I picked up a dog tag, I'm just feeling around in the muck. This shit still hasn't dissipated, I want to get out of here.

07:16 - SC: Noted. Can you see anything else?

07:16 - EDT: No, I can see one meter in, tops. The rest of the room is full of these damn fishes. I can't go in further, I would have to dig into this.

07:16 - SC: Good copy, One. Seal the room and take a look around, alright?

07:16 - EDT: Yeah, I guess…

Static noise

07:17 - SC: One, do you see anything?

07:17 - EDT: Copy.

07:17 - SC: Copy what, one?

Static noise

07:18 - SC: One, update us.

Static noise

07:20 - SC: One, report.

Static noise

07:21 - SC: One, do you read?

Static noise

07:22 - SC: One, do you copy?

07:22 - SC: One, if you read, stand by for extraction.

Static noise

[Non-pertinent data expunged]

Dr.███ 's personnal log (Entry 16/12/91)

Rescue Team was tasked to retrieve EDT at 07:22, and achieved partial success. EDT-1 was found in the lower deck, apparently attempting to access the "cold storage" compartment. He was successfuly extracted, but suffered mild hypoxia as his mix tank was depleted. EDT-2's body was inside the compartment. His regulator and air mix canister were found in his arms, as if he purposedly removed them. RT confirmed the observation made by EDT and reports that "it felt like the ship was accelerating".

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Dr.███'s report (Entry 08/01/92)

Our newly arrived EDT performed a successful dive. We specifically briefed them not to stay more than five minutes inside. They took a long time to find the spot. It moved 320 meters from the last coordinates. EDT reports it was staying still, though.

I instructed EDT to open the "cold storage" room again. The visibility was much clearer this time. The pictures they brought show a large refrigerated room, of which every surface is coated with a yellowish viscous substance. Human bones and diving gear can be observed on the floor, also coated in said substance. EDT was able to take a sample of it.

EDT did not notice anything else during the time window we gave them. Their behavior did not appear to degrade.

Analysis of the sample was quick and conclusive. It is composed of decaying organic tissues, hydrochloric acid, and pepsin. DNA structure suggests that the organic part is mostly originating from various fish species (mainly Conger oceanicus and Gradiformes). Identification is pending on isolated human DNA patterns that were also detected in the compound.

Footnotes

1. See Additional Documentation.

2. See Experimental Dive logs.