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ProjectXplore Identifies North Channel Wreck as WWI Freighter HMS Bayano

Investigators say converging physical evidence and archival records, including U‑27’s war diary, confirm the ship’s identity.

Overview

  • Divers documented the wreck at 106 meters in the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland during October technical dives under challenging conditions.
  • Identification rests on matching features such as two six‑inch guns, overall dimensions and structural details, which align with the Bayano’s Armed Merchant Cruiser configuration.
  • The surveyed position sits 1.7 nautical miles from survivor Arthur Craze’s account and 2.4 nautical miles from the location recorded in U‑27’s wartime log.
  • Historical records note the Bayano was torpedoed on 11 March 1915 with nearly 200 sailors lost after being converted for Britain’s World War I blockade.
  • The ProjectXplore team says it will leave the site undisturbed and plans surveys of 15 to 20 additional historically significant wrecks.