Expedition Locates Wreck of Italian Naval Ship Artigliere

Paul Allen and his research team located the wreck of the Italian naval ship Artigliere along the Sicily-Malta escarpment during an expedition in the Mediterranean Sea in March 2017.

The Artigliere, a Soldati-class destroyer, was sunk in October 1940 after being damaged in the Battle of Cape Passero.

WWII Italian destroyer Artigliere found by RV Petrel. Here’s video of her more than 3,600m below the surface in the Sicily-Malta escarpment pic.twitter.com/cUcE0H5G4u — Paul Allen (@PaulGAllen) June 5, 2017

The location as well as video and photographic documentation from the Petrel’s ROV showing the letters “AR” on the hull led the research team identify the wreck as the Artigliere.

The Italian government was notified of the discovery in April, but the precise location of the Artigliere will not be publically revealed in deference to its crew and surviving family members. The site was left undisturbed by the research team.

R/V Petrel is Allen’s new research vessel outfitted with the latest deep sea exploration technology and the team is planning additional expeditions. In March 2015, a Paul Allen-led team located the wreck of the Japanese battleship Musashi and provided a live underwater tour. Later that year in August, an Allen-led team retrieved the historic bell of HMS Hood from the North Atlantic.