فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Preliminary sites of nine historical ships sunk during World War I have been located along the coasts of southern Morocco, the Assalam Association for the Protection of Maritime Heritage has announced.
These wrecks are situated along the southern Moroccan coasts, extending from territorial waters to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Association stated in a press release. These ships belong to various nationalities, including Japanese, Norwegian, French, British, Portuguese, and Italian.
The sinking of these ships is attributed to the total submarine warfare waged by Germany during World War I, the same source continued, noting that this discovery is part of the Association’s ongoing efforts to preserve underwater cultural heritage.
German submarines, the association explained, targeted commercial and military vessels of Allied countries, leading to the loss of numerous ships off the southern 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 has also been 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[5], the activation of the first UNESCO program dedicated to this heritage, as well as the organization of the International Coastal Forum.
The association has also conducted various cooperation programs with national and international institutions working in the field of underwater cultural heritage, resulting in the launch of the first specialized training sessions in Morocco in partnership with the National Institute of Archeology and Heritage Sciences (INSAP) as part of the international workshops in Dakhla.
The Association seeks to draw the attention of authorities at the regional and central levels to support the agreement signed by African institutions in Dakhla on October 15, 2024, which aims to make Dakhla a coordination center for African efforts to protect maritime heritage, in perfect harmony with the Atlantic initiative launched by King Mohammed VI, the statement concluded.
