Shipwreck Hunters Discover the Ruins of a British Destroyer That Split in Half During a Tragic Peacetime Accident 118 Years Ago
Minutes after it collided with a 10,000-ton cruiser, the HMS "Tiger" sank to the bottom of the English Channel. Divers and historians have spent the past four years searching for the Royal Navy vessel
On a moonless night in 1908, Royal Navy ships embarked on a training exercise in the English Channel, with one ship initiating a flare to simulate a torpedo attack. The bright light was momentarily blinding, leaving the crew in darkness as they adjusted their vision. To their shock, the HMS Tiger, a torpedo boat destroyer, collided with the Berwick, a 10,000-ton cruiser, causing the destroyer to split in two.
Two-thirds of the crew perished in the tragedy, with only 22 survivors, including engineer-lieutenant Cecil Vinning.
In 2022, ProjectXplore began researching the wreck's location using telegrams, newspaper clippings, and court-martial transcripts. After analyzing the data, divers surveyed the seabed with sonar and found the outline of the wreckage in 2025. They explored the stern section in June and the bow section in July. The divers discovered crucial evidence, including a rudder angle dial and stern engine revolution telegraph, suggesting the Tiger did not attempt to avoid the collision or reduce its speed.
The final resting place of the HMS Tiger lies south of the Isle of Wight, 200 feet below sea level. ProjectXplore's co-organizers, Leo Fielding and Dan McMullen, expressed their hope that their work would preserve the memory of those connected with the ship for future generations. A wreath of poppies was left at the site to honor the 35 victims who lost their lives on that tragic night.
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