Exeter's physical remains survived her wartime sinking only to be lost much later. The wreck had been found, but illegal salvagers destroyed it between 2014 and 2016. Its disappearance was separate from the cruiser's combat loss and erased the surviving material record of the ship. Naval wrecks can remain vulnerable long after the war that put them on the seabed.
Notable Point · 22:33-22:40
Illegal salvage erased Exeter's wreck
The discovered wreck of HMS Exeter was destroyed by illegal salvagers between 2014 and 2016.