Search & Discovery of a new wreck in Zurich / Switzerland
15th November 2011. A group of technical divers, lead by ISE Instructor Helmut Spangler met at the shore of icy lake zurick to reveal one of its secrets.[preview]
The tale of a lost concrete ship is well known and today the divers gathered to finaly solve the mystery.
Old newspaper articles and remains of some of the buildings from the time of the sinking helped to locate the spot where the ship was slipped almost 90 years ago.
The ship was built at the lake. a proud 14 meter long, 2.75 meter wide and with a draft of 0.7 meters. Powered by a fuel engine the maximum speed was 10 knots.
When the ship was launched on 31st of October 1918, all went wrong and instead of cruising lake Zurich, the proud ship slipped beneath the waves and disapeared.
The group of divers was lucky - although bitter cold, the day was sunny and the conditions promised a great day of diving. Three teams of 3 and two teams of 2 finally entered the water and performed the intial search. Good research proofed its value and the wreck was located on the first dive in a depth between 50 and 55 meters
Using 18/45 with 50% and O2 for deco the teams did serveral dives over the course of the weekend and team meber Heinz Wagner documented the wreck. The condition is great due the cold water and it is hard to belileve that the vessel is resting there for such a long time.
Our little adventure got some covrage in the local press and the photos of the wreck are on display in our center and so we were able to not only uncover one of the lakes secres and produce andother dive spot but give the locals a bit of their history back and a view on it, only few can ever have.
Divers:Heinz Wagner & Sarah Forster
Helmut Spangler, Alexandra Fiori & Sabine Kerkau
Martin Heggli, Marc Zihlmann & Frank Lechner
Stephan Wehrli, Marcin Kolonko & Pascal Schär
Heiko Gothe & Mario Bachmann
Surface Support:Norbert & Marcel - Thanks!!