The wreck of the US Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, lost with all 131 crew members in 1918, has been discovered off the coast of Cornwall, UK, by the British Gasperados Dive Team. The vessel was torpedoed by German submarine UB-41 on September 26, 1918, during World War I, becoming the largest naval loss for US forces in that conflict.
Discovery
The Gasperados Dive Team had been searching for the Tampa since 2023.
- The wreck was found at a depth of 300 feet (91 meters), approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) off the Cornwall coast.
- The US Coast Guard provided records and archival images to confirm the wreck's identity.
Final Voyage
- On September 17, 1918, the Tampa began convoy duty in the Atlantic.
- On September 26, it requested and received permission to leave its convoy due to low coal supplies, heading to a Welsh port.
- Around 8:15 p.m., the Tampa was sighted by UB-41, which fired a single torpedo. A secondary explosion, possibly from coal dust or depth charges, followed.
- The ship sank within three minutes; no survivors were found.
Casualties
The crew included immigrants from Russia and Norway and 11 Black sailors, the first minority Coast Guardsmen killed in combat.
- 111 Coast Guardsmen, 4 US Navy sailors, and 16 Britons (Royal Navy personnel and civilians) perished.
- The crew represented a diverse cross-section of America and its allies.
Response
"Locating the wreck connects us to their sacrifice and reminds us that devotion to duty endures," said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday.
The Coast Guard plans further exploration using autonomous systems and robotics, aiming to honor the legacy of those lost and document the site with modern technology.