Summary (tl;dr)

A German World War II U-boat, U-672, missing for 82 years, has been discovered off the coast of Devon, UK, after its true location was obscured for decades by a significant clerical error in wartime naval records.

Essential Background

During World War II, the German Type VIIC U-boat U-672 was engaged by the Royal Navy vessel HMS Balfour in July 1944. The submarine sustained damage, leading its 52 crew members to scuttle the vessel and escape into life rafts, all surviving and subsequently becoming prisoners of war. Despite the known sinking, the U-boat's precise resting place remained undiscovered for 82 years because official navy logs contained incorrect coordinates, placing its presumed location some 40 to 46 miles away from where it actually lay.

The Full Story

The U-672 submarine has recently been identified approximately 20 miles (32km) off Salcombe in Devon, UK, at a depth of about 230 feet (70m). The wreck was initially discovered in August 2026 by a deep-sea diving team from Portland, with the Plymouth-based Gasperados dive team subsequently confirming its identity as U-672 in October 2026. Divers were able to confirm the U-boat's identity by observing distinctive features such as its conning tower, early Schnorchel system, and remains of German Aphrodite radar decoy equipment. German World War II historian Dr. Axel Niestle corroborated these findings, attributing the prolonged mystery of its location to a clerical error in historical documents.

Why It Matters

The discovery of U-672 is a significant event as it resolves an 82-year-old historical enigma, finally correcting inaccurate naval records and providing closure on the fate of this specific World War II vessel. This finding offers a tangible connection to the past, enriching maritime archaeology and our understanding of naval history. The family of the U-boat's commander, Ulf Lawaetz, have also expressed their happiness and pride that the wreck has finally been located.

Geographic Location

• Off Salcombe, Devon, England, United Kingdom (discovery of the U-672 submarine wreck)
• Plymouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom (base of the Gasperados diving team involved in identification)
• Portland, Dorset, England, United Kingdom (location of the deep sea diving team that initially discovered the wreck)