WRECK OF ROYAL NAVY WARSHIP HMS TIGER FOUND AFTER 118 YEARS

Divers off the Isle of Wight have discovered the wreck of HMS Tiger, a Royal Navy torpedo boat destroyer that sank in 1908. The vessel was cut in two after entering the path of another warship during a training exercise. More than half of the 57 crew members on board were killed in the incident. The ProjectXplore team located the wreck following five years of historical research into the ship's position.

HMS Tiger sank 118 years before its discovery. The accident occurred during a routine training operation involving multiple naval vessels. The loss of life represented a significant incident in Royal Navy history, though the full circumstances of how the collision was permitted to occur remain part of the historical record of the sinking.

The Government is considering new powers under the Armed Forces Bill to designate shipwrecks as "protected places" once remains have been identified, according to the Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones. She stated that defence has a role in preserving maritime heritage and honouring those who died in service. The discovery of HMS Tiger may inform how such protective measures are implemented for naval wrecks.