This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress
Preliminary sites of nine historic ships sunk during the First World War were located along the southern Moroccan coasts, the Assalam association for the protection of maritime heritage announced.
These wrecks are located along the southern southern coasts, extending from territorial waters to the exclusive economic zone (ZEE), indicates the association in a press release, specifying that these ships belong to different nationalities, notably Japanese, Norwegian, French , British, Portuguese and Italian.
The sinking of these ships is attributed to the total underwater war waged by Germany during the First World War, continues the same source, noting that this discovery is part of the continuous efforts of the association to preserve the underwater cultural heritage.
The German submarines, explains the association, targeted the commercial and military ships of the Allied countries, resulting in the loss of many ships off the South Provinces.
In order to protect this heritage and deepen research, the association has transmitted the coordinates of the preliminary sites of these wrecks to the National Coordination Committee in hydrography, oceanography and marine cartography. A report detailing the history and characteristics of each ship was also submitted to this committee.
This new discovery is an extension of previous initiatives, including the discovery of the German emperor’s ship “Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse” off Dakhla, the activation of the first UNESCO program dedicated to this heritage , as well as the organization of the international coastal forum.
The association also carried out various cooperation programs with national and international institutions working in the field of underwater cultural heritage, leading to the launch of the first specialized training sessions in Morocco in partnership with the National Institute of Archeology and Archeology and Heritage (INSAP) as part of the Dakhla international workshops.
The association seeks to attract the attention of the authorities to the regional and central levels in order to support the agreement signed by African institutions in Dakhla on October 15, 2024 and which aims to make Dakhla a center for the coordination of African efforts in favor of The protection of maritime heritage, in perfect harmony with the Atlantic initiative launched by King Mohammed VI, concluded the press release.
