Überreste der 1946 bei Korfu versenkten “HMS Volage” wurden nun in Albanischen Gewässern gefunden

3.11.2009 by HoisseBig.

Pieces of WWII-era UK warship apparently found
By LLAZAR SEMINI Associated Press Writer

TIRANA, Albania—Pieces of a British destroyer that was badly damaged by Albanian mines in 1946, straining relations between the two countries for decades, appear to have been discovered in a waterway near Greece, U.S. and Albanian researchers said Monday.

The wreckage was found 50 yards (meters) under water in the Corfu Channel between the Albanian mainland and the Greek island of Corfu. It is believed to be a section of the bow of the British destroyer HMS Volage, the researchers said.

Forty-four sailors died in the mine explosions that damaged the Volage and another British Navy destroyer, the HMS Saumarez. Both ships suffered extensive damage but reached Corfu for repairs.

The incident halted talks between Communist Albania and Britain on restoring diplomatic ties that were broken earlier that year. The two countries only formally re-established ties in 1991.

“While largely obscured by mud, the remains show steel frames, electrical wiring, ammunition, stacks of ceramic plates, a British canteen and the remains of boots or shoes,” said James Delgado, president of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, who was part of the international team of experts. The institute is nonprofit research body affiliated with Texas A&M University.

The discovery was part of an effort to create an underwater cultural heritage map of the Albanian coastline and is being coordinated by the Key West, Florida-based RPM Nautical Foundation and aided by Albanian authorities.

The artifacts are to be raised and analyzed for confirmation, “but the nature of the finds strongly suggest … this was where HMS Volage hit the mine that tore off its bow,” Delgado said. “The area of Volage blasted off by the mine was forward of the deck guns and included the forward mess, where some of the crew ate and slept, as well as storage compartments. The dishes, shoes and ammunition are evidence that fit.”
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/nationalnews/ci_13695262

HMS Volage

Die SAche ist wirklich legendär, besonders wenn der damalige Marine Kommandant nun zur Sache was bringt.

The Corfu Channel Case: The International Court of Justice Bids for Expanded Jurisdiction
The Yale Law Journal, Vol. 58, No. 1 (Dec., 1946 , pp. 187-194
doi:10.2307/793355
This article consists of 8 page(s).

 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0044-0094

Disputes Relating to the Law of the Sea

The Corfu Channel Case (UK v. Albania), the first case decided by the court, was brought before it at the suggestion of the Security Council. On 22 October 1946, two UK destroyers passing through the Corfu channel off the Albanian coast struck mines whose explosion caused the death of 46 seamen and damage to the ships. The British thereupon mineswept the channel. Albania claimed that it had not laid the mines. The court found Albania “responsible under international law for the explosions… and for the damage and loss of human life that resulted therefrom” and determined the compensation due to the UK at £843,947, equivalent to approximately US$2.4 million at that time. The court also found that the British mine-sweeping activities in Albanian territorial waters had violated international law. The unanimous rejection by the court of the British claim that the action was justified under the principle of “self-protection” constituted the first judicial finding that the use of force for self-help is in certain circumstances contrary to international law.

 http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/United-Nations/The-International-Court-of-Justice-

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQCOFC2Yc3M

Incidenti në 1946, gjenden pjesë të anijes britanike

02-11-2009 Gjenden pjesë të reja të anijes luftarake britanike që shkaktoi dhe incidentin e Korfuzit më 1946 me Shqipërinë. Pjesët e reja, sipas Associated Press janë gjetur 50 km larg kanalit të Korfuzit, nga ekspertë amerikanë e shqiptarë. Gjatë atij incidenti gjetën vdekjen 44 marinarë britanikë dhe u kushtoi dy vendeve 45 vite armiqësi. Mbi objektet e gjetura i është dërguar një raport qeverisë britanike dhe asaj shqiptare

Pieces of WWII-era UK warship apparently found

By LLAZAR SEMINI (AP)

TIRANA, Albania — Pieces of a British destroyer that was badly damaged by Albanian mines in 1946, straining relations between the two countries for decades, appear to have been discovered in a waterway near Greece, U.S. and Albanian researchers said Monday.

The wreckage was found 50 yards (meters) under water in the Corfu Channel between the Albanian mainland and the Greek island of Corfu. It is believed to be a section of the bow of the British destroyer HMS Volage, the researchers said.

Forty-four sailors died in the mine explosions that damaged the Volage and another British Navy destroyer, the HMS Saumarez. Both ships suffered extensive damage but reached Corfu for repairs.

The incident halted talks between Communist Albania and Britain on restoring diplomatic ties that were broken earlier that year. The two countries only formally re-established ties in 1991.

“While largely obscured by mud, the remains show steel frames, electrical wiring, ammunition, stacks of ceramic plates, a British canteen and the remains of boots or shoes,” said James Delgado, president of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, who was part of the international team of experts. The institute is nonprofit research body affiliated with Texas A&M University.

The discovery was part of an effort to create an underwater cultural heritage map of the Albanian coastline and is being coordinated by the Key West, Florida-based RPM Nautical Foundation and aided by Albanian authorities.

The artifacts are to be raised and analyzed for confirmation, “but the nature of the finds strongly suggest … this was where HMS Volage hit the mine that tore off its bow,” Delgado said. “The area of Volage blasted off by the mine was forward of the deck guns and included the forward mess, where some of the crew ate and slept, as well as storage compartments. The dishes, shoes and ammunition are evidence that fit.”

The wreckage, which lies off the Albanian port of Saranda, 185 miles (300 kilometers) south of Tirana, the country’s capital, was examined by a remote-controlled submarine carrying three cameras.

The British sailors’ deaths started a dispute between Britain and Albania that lasted 45 years.

Albania refused to pay Britain damages awarded by the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Britain retaliated by blocking the release of Albanian gold seized by the Nazis during World War II. The claims were settled in 1992 and 1996 agreements, under which ownership of most of the gold was returned to Albania.

The researchers said a report on the ship’s discovery and supporting footage had been sent to the Albanian and British governments.

Science and Technology: Albanian waters reveal ship remains

09/11/2009

An international team of experts found the remains of a British military ship off the coast of Albania. Also in science news: Turkish tax authorities fine the internet giant Google, and BiH launches an “atlas of war crimes” website.

Science and Technology: Albanian waters reveal ship remains

Remains of the WW II British destroyer HMS Volage were recently discovered off the Albanian coast. [Getty Images]

Archaeologists discovered the remains of a British military ship off Albania’s Ionian Sea shores. The HMS Volage sank in 1946 after running into a mine. The incident near the Albanian port of Saranda caused a serious crisis between Tirana and London at the time. The ship remains were discovered by an international team of scientists from the US Institute of Nautical Archaeology, the Albanian Institute of Archaeology and the Albanian Defence Ministry.

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aus der NATO Website Setimes

After Greece, Albania seeks another water Sea conflict with British GovernmentShow romanizati

Albanian Historians, London require them to reopen the issue of the “Corfu Incident” in 1946

Naval mines are placed by order of Enver Hoxha from Yugoslavian warship, while Albania claimed that protect its maritime border.

London publishes confidential reports about its mission warships in the “Corfu Channel”, by propagating that “Tirana is istaling a terrorist state, being kidnapped territories which do not belong to her.”

www.gazetatema.net

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