via The National Museum of the Royal Navy, 24 May 2023: Statement made in response to reports that the shipwrecks of the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were in danger of being scavenged by salvors.
“We are distressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for personal profit of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. They are designated war graves. We are upset at the loss of naval heritage and the impact this has on the understanding of our Royal Navy history.
“What we need is a management strategy for the underwater naval heritage so that we can better protect or commemorate these ships. That may include targeted retrieval of objects.
“We want the Royal Navy to develop a policy we can help deliver. If resourced correctly, the existing Royal Navy loss list can be enhanced to be a vital tool to begin to understand, research and manage over 5,000 wrecks before they are lost forever.
Source: Statement on HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse | National Museum of the Royal Navy
