UK man buys World War I shipwreck for just ₹34,000 after spotting it on Facebook Marketplace
In an unusual purchase, Dom Robinson from the UK has bought a World War I-era shipwreck for a mere ₹34,000 (300 pounds). According to a report by the BBC, Robinson came across the listing for the SS Almond Branch on Facebook Marketplace and wasted no time in making the deal.
The 3,300-tonne cargo ship, which spans 330 feet, was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Cornwall on November 27, 1917. Since then, it has remained submerged beneath the sea. A diving enthusiast and shipwreck researcher, Robinson described his excitement upon finding the vessel online.
'I just went along & kind of kicked the tires and I sucked my teeth, and I knew what it was,' he said.
Robinson has long been passionate about exploring the sea floor. He uses seabed scans to search for anomalies, which he then investigates. Through his dives, he has discovered around 20 to 25 shipwrecks over the past few years. He shares these underwater adventures with viewers on his YouTube channel.
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'I've identified maybe 20 or 25 shipwrecks in the last couple of years. It's really nice because each shipwreck has got a story associated with it. That's something I find particularly rewarding,' Robinson explained.
'It feels a bit different when you're diving a wreck, and you know that you have a sense of ownership on it.'
However, not everyone in his household shared his enthusiasm. Robinson revealed that his wife Suzi, 53, was far from impressed with the purchase.
'When I bought it, my wife was furious,' he admitted, adding that she called the wreck 'a waste of money.'
Despite this, Robinson remains hopeful about one particular discovery he still hopes to make—the ship's bell.
'So if anybody finds the bell should report it to the Receiver of Wreck, who will ask me whether I want to keep it or not. And, if they find the bell, then obviously, hands off my bell,' he said.
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