Santi Finding the Eagle" expedition sets off for the fifth time

On Sunday, 23 September, within the framework of the “SANTI Odnaleźć Orła” project, the fifth cyclic search expedition started, the aim of which is to find the wreck of the legendary Polish submarine “Orzeł”. This time, the expedition set off from the Danish port of Thyborøn, from where its organisers chartered a special vessel named M/S “NEMO”. The participants of the expedition are planning to explore 600 square kilometres of the seabed during the fourteen-day voyage to further verify the hypothesis that the cause of the sinking of the Polish ship was a bomb attack by a British aircraft.

The 30-metre vessel hired for the expedition, thanks to the support of the Maritime Institute in Gdansk, will be equipped with specialised exploration equipment such as a multibeam echosounder (MBES), which enables effective exploration of the seabed, in a bandwidth of up to 400 metres. “We have been completing the necessary equipment, developing the technical assumptions so that the vessel meets our research needs. Everything is buttoned up to the last button, we are ready for action. This year’s chosen research target we will focus on is an area 100 miles off the coast of Scotland and 200 miles off the coast of Denmark,” comments Dr Benedict Hac, hydrographic team leader.

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The organizers of the expedition (Tomasz Stachura, Dr. Eng. Benedykt Hac, Dr. Hubert Jando, Grzegorz Świątek and Piotr Michalik) intend to continue the search for the wreck of the “Eagle” which has been carried out for five years in the North Sea. It is there, according to one of the hypotheses, that the attack carried out on 3 June 1940 by the British aircraft Lockheed Hudson took place. The pilot of the plane, as a result of misidentification of the submarine, which was thought to be a German by-pass, dropped three 250-pound bombs on it, probably causing it to sink.

The members of the expedition intend this time to survey about 600 square kilometres of seabed near the site of the air attack, taking into account an area already previously searched during the expeditions organised in 2014, 2016 and 2017. This body of water includes the area of the seabed delineated taking into account the navigational error that the aircrew may have made in 1940, when establishing the aforementioned position.

The members of the expedition will reach the coast of Denmark by car, transporting the necessary equipment. They will set off on Sunday 23 September at 06:00 from the SANTI headquarters, where everything has been packed and prepared for transport since Thursday. In Denmark, they will change ships and set sail for the North Sea.

[blockquote style=”2″]”This year’s expedition will involve searching for potential wrecks in the area immediately adjacent to the site of the British attack. We are ready, we are determined and we believe we will succeed. As every year, we have prepared solidly, both in terms of content and technical aspects. We have managed to establish cooperation with the Danish Sea War Museum Jutland, which we very much look forward to. From year to year we are getting more skilled, we know what mistakes to avoid, I really hope that we will find our Eagle.” – summed up Tomasz Stachura, expedition leader and owner of SANTI company which is the titular sponsor of the expedition.[/blockquote]

More about the project:

www.santiodnalezcorla.pl
fb.com/OdnalezcOrla

SANTI sp. z o.o. – main sponsor of the project

SANTI is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of diving clothing and equipment. In just a few years, the company from Gdynia has transformed from a local manufacturer of diving suits into a brand with an established position on the global diving equipment market.

The company is present on all continents, selling to nearly 40 countries worldwide, including: the USA, South Korea, Canada, Australia, Brazil and the main European markets. SANTI’s flagship products include dry diving suits and warmers. The company is the originator and the leading manufacturer of diving warming accessories, such as heated gloves or waistcoats.

For several years SANTI has been actively involved in the organisation and support of international research expeditions (e.g. Sedna, Under the Pole, Elysium) and shipwreck explorations around the world. This is how the project “SANTI – Finding the Eagle” was born, a project that aims to find the wreck and finally solve the mystery of the disappearance of the Polish ship.

Partners:

Yellow Cargo Express sp. z o.o. – logistic support
Maritime Institute Gdańsk – hydrographic support

Patronage:

Mayor of the City of Gdynia
Polish Naval Museum in Gdynia
National Geographic

Source: Press release