As to why she sank, even today historians can only speculate. Over the years, a number of attempts had been made to locate and retrieve the remains of the Hunley and her crew. It then took another five years of painstaking research, planning and implementation to bring her to the surface. Only then could the project go forward. Diving operations in May and June of 1996 determined that the wreckage was, in fact, the submarine, and that raising and conserving her was not only a feasible course of action, but recommended.
Intact shipwrecks are virtually non-existent.
Over time, voracious sea creatures and harsh saltwater will destroy any shipwreck. Just as problematic, is the threat to shipwrecks posed by humans. In the Hunley's case, since the remains of her crew were still on board the vessel, consideration was given to leaving the wreck as a sacred gravesite. While there have been many underwater recovery efforts in the past, few, if any, seem to have generated the level of concern shown for the Hunley project. Interest in this recovery was worldwide, inspiring individuals from many walks of life to team together and contribute to its success.