German U-boat U-627 discovered in English Channel

Divers have located the wreck of a German World War II submarine, identified as U-627, in the English Channel. The vessel was found approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of England at a depth of about 70 meters.

The discovery follows decades of mystery caused by a mapping error in historical military documents. Due to a clerical mistake, the submarine was recorded as being located roughly 74 kilometers away from its actual position. In some records, the site was even misidentified as a sunken sailing ship from the First World War.

The submarine, a Type VII C model, is believed to have sunk in July 1944 following an attack by the British. At the time of the incident, the vessel was fully crewed with 52 men. All crew members survived the sinking, were rescued by the British military, and subsequently became prisoners of war.

Technical details on the wreck, including an early snorkel system and remnants of the Aphrodite radar deception system, assisted divers in the identification process. A historical emblem of a pig on the conning tower also served as a identifying feature.