Divers examine Austro-Hungarian wreck

Listen to this article Hungarian divers intend to survey the wreck of the cruiser SMS Franz Jozeph I, part of the World War I Austro-Hungarian fleet, which lies on the bottom in the Adriatic Sea. The ship, named after the monarch, took part in several naval battles. After the end of the World War I

ByTomasz Andrukajtis

Published: June 5, 2012 - 22:23

Updated: July 22, 2023 - 05:28

Listen to this article

Hungarian divers intend to survey the wreck of the cruiser SMS Franz Jozeph I, part of the World War I Austro-Hungarian fleet, which lies on the bottom in the Adriatic Sea.

-- Advertisement --

The ship, named after the monarch, took part in several naval battles. After the end of the World War I it was located in France. On 17 October 1919 she sank as a result of a heavy storm, at the entrance to Cattaro Bay.

Exploration of the wreck is not easy, as it is located right on the border of Montenegro and Croatia. For the past few decades, this has been a sore point for researchers in Hungary, wanting to find out more about the SMS Franz Jozeph I and to consume its detailed documentation, as they could not obtain the necessary permits.

The unit was named in honour of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary – Franz Joseph I. Together with its sister unit Kaiserin Elisabeth, these cruisers were an answer to the Italian ships Giovanni Bausan and Etna.

For the Hungarian archaeologists, apart from the possibility to explore the wreck, the dive itself will be a great opportunity to learn something. As there are no conditions for such dives in Hungary, going down to 45m will be a great training for archaeological divers.

Source: kormany.hu

About author

Tomasz Andrukajtis

Editor-in-chief of the DIVERS24 portal and magazine. Responsible for obtaining, translating and developing content. He also supervises all publications. Achived his first diving certification – P1 CMAS, in 2000. Has a degree in journalism and social communication. In the diving industry since 2008.