Divers examine the wreck of an oil tanker

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) tanker Darkdale, stationed in the St Helena Island area, was supplying large Allied vessels with fuel. No one expected the ship to fall victim to a German U-boat attack.

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‘Dale’ class ships, were tankers incorporated into the RFA to support and supplement fuel shortages, among Royal Navy vessels, during the 20 years between the wars.

Darkdale became the first British vessel to be sunk below the equator in World War II. Attacked on 22 October 1941 by the German submarine U-68, the tanker did not stand a chance. The attack took place in the early hours of the morning, when the crew of the allied vessel, anchored near Jamestown.

Now, after more than 70 years, the spectre of the past is returning with a new dimension of tragedy. The cargo of fuel that was on the vessel begins to seep from its interior into the waters of James Bay, where the Allied tanker has settled at a depth of 40m.

The relevant services in the UK intend to investigate the situation and the condition of Darkdale in order to decide what measures need to be taken to protect the local environment. Otherwise, the situation will become deadly for the local ecosystems, as well as for the local inhabitants, who mainly live from the ever-growing tourism

“The island of St Helena, was a very important complementary point where vessels heading to Southeast Asia stopped, especially during military operations in the Mediterranean,” said Matt Skelhorn, a member of the group to investigate the underwater situation. Finally, he added.

“The guys who are to carry out the wreck survey are a very experienced team and should not encounter any major difficulties. Technically, Darkdale should not be a big challenge.”

Source: southatlanticsecurity.wordpress.com