DIVERS from the Islands of Guernsey have solved the 106-year-old mystery of a missing German World War I U-boat after four years of exhaustive planning and searching.

The missing submarine, which was lost in February 1917 after an altercation with a secret Royal Navy ‘Q’ Ship, said to have been The Lady Olive, was found 30 miles south-west of Guernsey. 

Its location has been shared with the German War Graves Commission, who now know the resting place of 28 missing submariners, and the site has been designated a war grave. 

The U-boat was originally believed to have sunk 12 miles south of Guernsey and had not been seen since 1917.

The four-year project has been filmed as part of a forthcoming BBC documentary, The Hunt for Lady Olive and the German Submarine, which will be broadcast later this year. 

Following extensive research and liaison with maritime archaeologist Tomas Termote, the team of divers and underwater filmmaker Karl Taylor were able to confirm the wreck’s identity.

The incredible underwater images in this post were all captured by Karl, and the discovery comes at an important time for the Islands of Guernsey, which were occupied by Nazi forces in World War II.

Visitors can explore those dark times at hundreds of German bunkers across the Islands, some of which will open to the public for the first time in 2024, and the German Occupation Museum.

This year also marks the 80^th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, with 2025 set to commemorate 80 years since the Islands of Guernsey were liberated from occupying forces. 

For more information and archives, see the German Occupation Museum website, which tells the story of how the people of Guernsey lived under the Nazi invaders.

With flight times from the UK as little as 40 minutes and ferry sailings from three hours, visitors can take the ferry from Poole or Portsmouth or fly directly from the UK.

Condor Ferries operate year-round, while Aurigny flies from London and major regional airports, with new seasonal flights from Cornwall Newquay also set to launch this summer.