Second World War ships holding sailors’ remains looted for metal
Around ten British ships wrecked during the Second World War off the Malaysian and Indonesian coasts have been plundered for scrap metal by Chinese pirates.
The boats, which were designated war graves for more than 1,000 sailors, have been stripped by the looters.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson demanded an investigation into the situation. “The UK government absolutely condemns the unauthorised disturbance of any wreck
containing human remains, and always has done,” he said. “A military wreck should remain undisturbed and those who lost their lives on board should be allowed to rest in peace. We will work closely with the Indonesian and Malaysian governments to investigate these claims.”
Around half of the structure of the ships, which were sunk in late 1941 and 1942 and include HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, have been looted by the pirates.
It is thought that Chinese barges, fitted with cranes, have been involved in stripping the vessels, avoiding detection by switching off their transponders to avoid radar detection. Diving expert Dr Andrew Fock, who has led investigations of wrecks on the Java Sea bed, said the metal haul from each ship can fetch more than £1 million.