An oil leak reported from Bittern's wreck in 2011 required work to contain the pollution. Some material was removed before the ship sank, but the amount of ammunition remaining aboard was uncertain. A wartime warship wreck may still contain much of the firepower it carried when lost, which makes diving there a serious risk. Bittern's wreck remains both an environmental problem and a possible explosive hazard long after the ship sank.
Notable Point · 21:44-22:48
Bittern's wreck combines oil pollution with wartime ammunition hazards
A reported oil leak and uncertainty over ammunition remaining aboard HMS Bittern show why diving and managing a sunken warship demands more caution than exploring an ordinary wreck.