Madrid, July 7 (IANS) Divers have found wreckage from a Nazi World War Two U-boat near the coast of Galicia in Spain.

U-966 was heavily damaged by Allied bombers in November 1943, so the crew blew it up with timed charges and all but eight reached dry land, BBC reported on Friday.

US Navy and RAF Liberator bombers targeted U-966 with depth charges for a whole day, as the German submarine zig-zagged and fired its anti-aircraft gun.

One Allied plane was shot down – reportedly an RAF Catalina flying boat.

An RAF Wellington bomber also took part in the submarine chase and dropped depth charges.

The three divers’ discovery in late June followed years of searching in a very rocky area where rough weather often makes diving impossible. The debris was photographed at a depth of 24-26m (79-85ft).

One of the divers, naval historian Yago Abilleira, said they had found the wreckage near Estaca de Bares and it was spread over a wide area. They are not revealing the exact location, as it is a war grave.

He told the local paper La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish) that the crew had scuttled U-966, nicknamed “Gut Holz” (Good Wood), “in desperation, as Allied planes were attacking them on all sides and they knew time was running out”.’

Spanish media say the divers now want to find the downed Allied plane, believed to be near the U-boat wreck.

A German naval history website, Ubootarchiv.de, says (in German) that three local fishing boats rescued submariners who were clinging to rocks offshore. The crew totalled 52, eight of whom died.

U-boat commander Eckehard Wolf flew back to Germany in November 1944 from Spain under a false name, the website reports. </s> Image copyright usaf/wikimedia commons Image caption A US photo shows the U-boat under attack on 10 November 1943

Divers have found wreckage from a German World War Two U-boat near the coast of Galicia in north-west Spain.

U-966 was heavily damaged by Allied bombers in November 1943, so the crew blew it up with timed charges and all but eight reached dry land.

US Navy and RAF Liberator bombers targeted U-966 with depth charges for a whole day, as the German submarine zig-zagged and fired its anti-aircraft gun.

One Allied plane was shot down - reportedly an RAF Catalina flying boat.

An RAF Wellington bomber also took part in the submarine chase and dropped depth charges.

Image copyright Courtesy: La Voz de Galicia Image caption The three divers who found the wreckage after years of searching

The three divers' discovery in late June followed years of searching in a very rocky area where rough weather often makes diving impossible. The debris was photographed at a depth of 24-26m (79-85ft).

One of the divers, naval historian Yago Abilleira, said they had found the wreckage near Estaca de Bares and it was spread over a wide area. They are not revealing the exact location, as it is a war grave.

He told the local paper La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish) that the crew had scuttled U-966, nicknamed "Gut Holz" (Good Wood), "in desperation, as Allied planes were attacking them on all sides and they knew time was running out".

Image copyright Eduardo Losada Image caption The U-boat's violent end scattered debris over a wide area of seabed

Spanish media say the divers now want to find the downed Allied plane, believed to be near the U-boat wreck.

A German naval history website, Ubootarchiv.de, says (in German) that three local fishing boats rescued submariners who were clinging to rocks offshore. The crew totalled 52, eight of whom died.

U-boat commander Eckehard Wolf flew back to Germany in November 1944 from Spain under a false name, the website reports.

Read more on similar topics:

The brief war of U-966 'Gut Holz'

Image copyright Eduardo Losada Image caption Diver Eduardo Losada took this photo of debris from U-966

The U-boat was returning from an operation off the coast of North America when it was detected by the Allies. Bombers attacked it repeatedly on 10 November 1943, crippling it.

U-boats had inflicted enormous damage on Allied shipping earlier in the war. They attacked supply convoys as well as naval vessels.

The Gut Holz, 67m (220ft) long, was nearly brand new. It had been launched in January 1943, and had a career lasting just 10 months.

Its emblem was a bowling pin and ball - "good wood" is a German bowling phrase.

Spain's fascist dictator, Gen Francisco Franco, was not officially allied with Nazi Germany, but the supposedly neutral country was known to assist the Nazi war effort in various ways. Those friendly relations enabled surviving sailors to get back to Germany. </s> The wreckage of an Argentine navy submarine which exploded and disappeared one year ago with 44 crew was found in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, the navy said.

There has been "positive identification of the ARA San Juan," 800 meters (yards) deep by the Ocean Infinity, a statement from the navy said, referring to a US company involved in the search. </s> The wreck of an Argentine submarine that exploded and disappeared has been found almost exactly a year after it went missing.

The ARA San Juan submarine was located in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, said the navy, crushing the last hopes for relatives of the 44 crew.

There has been 'positive identification of the ARA San Juan,' at a depth of 2,600 feet, a statement on Twitter from the navy said.

The Seabed Constructor, a vessel owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity, which set out in September on the latest attempt to find the San Juan, made the discovery.

The navy lost contact with the submarine on November 15 last year, about 280 miles from the Argentine coast.

It was on its way back to base from Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina.

The families of the 44 crew members who perished in the accident have been summoned to be officially informed.

Luis Niz, the father of one of the missing sailors said: 'I still had hopes that they could be alive.'

Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of crewman Leandro Cisneros, 28, said: 'We are with the other relatives. They are going to show us the photos. They say that our youngsters are inside.

'We are all destroyed here.'

Navy spokesman, Rodolfo Ramallo, told Todo Noticias TV that the Ocean Infinity ship 'decided to do a new search and, thanks to God, it was able to find the zone.

'Now another chapter opens. From the analysis of the state in which the submarine has been found, we will see how to proceed.'

The navy has been fiercely criticized for its handling of the operation since first reporting the submarine overdue at Mar del Plata on November 16, 2017.

It was only several days into the tragedy that navy officials acknowledged the old, German-built submarine had reported a problem with its batteries in its final communication of November 15.

Nearly 10 days later, the navy confirmed there had been an explosion on board, which experts said was likely linked to the battery problem.

An air and sea search involved units from 13 countries but the majority withdrew before the end of 2017, as the wintry South Atlantic refused to give up its secrets.

The Seabed Constructor is equipped with cameras that can be submerged to a depth of 6,000 meters. It was to receive a reward of $7.5 million if it found the missing sub.

Before it departed for its mission, Luis Tagliapietra, whose son Alejandro was a lieutenant on the San Juan, described it as 'the last opportunity to find them.'

Ocean Infinity was also assigned the task of searching for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which vanished without trace in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. </s> Buenos Aires: A missing Argentinian Navy submarine has been found a year and a day after it went missing.

The ARA San Juan was found at an unspecified location in the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 800 metres, the Argentine Navy said in a statement retweeted by the country's defence ministry.

"Positive identification has been given to ARA San Juan," the tweet stated.

A massive international search was launched after the submarine disappeared on November 15 last year but hopes of finding the crew of 44 alive were given up two weeks later and the search was scaled down. </s> Image copyright Spain sea rescue Image caption Rescue services were searching for more survivors off the island of Alborán

Around 50 migrants are feared to have drowned in waters off the Moroccan coast, the Spanish coastguard has said.

Rescue services managed to retrieve three "exhausted and disorientated" men from a half-sunk rubber dinghy near Spain's Alborán Island.

It is believed many more were originally on board.

A coastguard spokeswoman said they had likely drowned, adding that rescuers were still surveying the water where the boat was found.

The survivors are aged between 17 and 25, and from sub-Saharan Africa. They have been taken to hospital in Almería, southern Spain.

The coastguard said in a statement that the boat "had been drifting for several days after leaving the northern coast of Morocco".

If the missing are confirmed dead, this will be the deadliest sea crossing of 2017 in this part of the Mediterranean.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IMO), 6,464 people reached Spain after crossing the Mediterranean between 1 January and 25 June 2017.

A further 60 died while attempting the journey.

The IMO says they are among at least 2,247 people who have died or are missing after trying to cross the sea into Europe via Spain, Italy or Greece this year. </s> The submarine ARA San Juan that vanished in the Atlantic over a year ago with 44 sailors on board has finally been detected at a depth of 800 meters, the Argentine military has confirmed.The ARA San Juan was discovered by Ocean Infinity, an American company contracted by the Argentine military to lead the search effort. The company's vessel, Seabed Constructor, "has positively identified" the missing submarine lying at a chilling depth of 800 meters, the Argentine Navy confirmed in a tweet on Saturday morning.Previously, the navy said the Seabed Constructor detected what it said was "a point of interest." The object was approximately 60 meters long and its shape resembled a submarine hull."The #and the #ArmadaArgentina report that on the day of the date, having investigated the point of interest N ° 24 reported by Ocean Infinity, through observation made with a ROV at 800 meters deep, has been given positive #AraSanJuan identification"Relatives of missing sailors were notified before the news was broken by Argentine media. It also comes just days after families of the submariners gathered at Mar del Plata naval base to commemorate and mourn their loved ones."##LaBúsquedaContinúa Update: The company reported new point of interest on Site 1 Area 15a-4, at 800 meters deep. The point of interest has a dimension of 60 mts in length. Time of arrival to the area to start research 19:00 hours approximately."Now, with the submarine lying so deep on the seabed, it may be nearly impossible to know what happened to it. The navy will seek to determine if the San Juan can be raised from its current spot.One year ago, the ARA San Juan, laid down in 1983 in German shipyards, went missing in the Atlantic with 44 crew on board. The sub was on a routine mission, and its sudden disappearance gave birth to numerous theories and rumors.Local media reported that before communication with the submarine was lost, its captain reported a short circuit caused by the entry of sea water into the battery compartment.A fire breaking out inside could have triggered a blast on board, the navy said at the time, adding that its listening posts detected "abnormal, singular, short, violent" sounds "consistent with an explosion."The search for the diesel-electric submarine started immediately, involving ships and aircraft manned by personnel from 13 countries. On November 30, after a 15-day operation, the navy decided to end the operation. The rescuers allowed for twice the possible time that the crew could have remained alive.In the months that followed, reports on the fate of the submariners continued to swirl in local media, including that the San Juan was being shadowed by the British and Chilean military around the time of its disappearance.Jesica Medina, a local woman, reported her brother telling her that the submarine was sailing close to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) when a Royal Navy helicopter started chasing them down, along with a Chilean ship."On Monday, an English helicopter was looking for us, and yesterday the Chileans, there has been a lot going on," second sub-officer Roberto Medina told his sister in the message, according to Argentina's La Gaceta newspaper. There was no official confirmation.But the newspaper report revived memories of the brief 1982 UK-Argentina war over the disputed islands, in which 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen lost their lives. Argentina still claims the islands as its own. The issue has emerged in recent years again as Britain has begun to explore possible offshore oilfields in the area. </s> LISBON, PORTUGAL (WHDH)- A centuries-old shipwreck was discovered off the coast of a Lisbon, Portugal suburb earlier this month.

Archeologists working for Nova University of Lisbon in partnership with the Portuguese government found the ship on September 3, submerged just 40 feet from the surface not far from the coast of Cascais, a suburb of Lisbon, according to officials.

Aboard the ship divers found Chinese ceramics, shells used for currency and spices, according to maritime archeologists.

It is believed that the vessel sank sometime between 1575 and 1625.

“This is one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the century,” Cascais Mayor Carlos Carreiras said.

Some of the artifacts have been removed so as to preserve them.

Divers are expected to return to the site in hopes of finding more treasures in the fathoms below. </s> The Argentine submarine, located on the seabed a year after it went missing with 44 crew on board, had imploded, the Argentine navy has confirmed.

The ARA San Juan disappeared 430km (270 miles) off the Argentine coast on 15 November 2017.

Officials announced on Friday that it had been found 900m (2,950ft) below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

"It appears to be complete, but it obviously imploded," said navy commander Gabriel Attis.

He said the hull was "totally deformed, collapsed and imploded" and debris was scattered over an area of about 70m (229ft).

The wreck was found by the Seabed Constructor, a ship owned by US search firm Ocean Infinity.
• Who are the crew of the missing Argentine submarine?

After the sub went missing, the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) said it had detected a noise a few hours after the vessel's last contact.

The Argentine navy said at the time it could have been the sound of the sub imploding but this was not confirmed until Saturday.

The exact cause of the implosion has yet to be established.

Yolanda Mendiola, the mother of missing sailor Leandro Cisneros, 28, said families of the crew had been brought together by the navy to learn the latest details.

"We are with the other relatives. They are going to show us the photos. They say that our youngsters are inside," she said.

"We are all destroyed here."

The discovery came a day after relatives had gathered at a sombre ceremony to remember their loved ones. President Mauricio Macri attended and promised to keep up the search for the submarine.

What do we know happened?

The ARA San Juan was returning from a routine mission to Ushuaia, near the southern tip of South America, when it reported an "electrical breakdown".

According to naval commander Gabriel Galeazzi, the submarine surfaced and reported what was described as a "short circuit" in the vessel's batteries.

The sub was ordered to cut its mission short and return to the naval base in Mar del Plata immediately.

The Argentine navy's last contact with the vessel was at approximately 07:30 (10:30 GMT) on 15 November, at which point its captain reportedly confirmed that the crew were well.
• What happens when a submarine vanishes

Eight days after the sub vanished, the CTBTO - which operates a network of listening posts to monitor nuclear explosions - said that there had been a "hydro-acoustic anomaly" about 30 nautical miles (60km) north of the sub's last-known position at 10:31 (13:31 GMT).

Last year, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters that water had entered the submarine's snorkel, which can be used to take in air from above the surface when the submarine is submerged.

The saltwater dripped on to a battery tray in the prow, causing the battery to short circuit and to smoulder, he said. The sub had reported the fault and had been ordered back to base but then disappeared.

Argentine authorities later launched a criminal investigation into the disappearance.
The wreckage of Nazi German submarine U-966, which was sunk in November 1943, is discovered off the coast of Galicia, Spain.