As an ex service man and from a long family history of service I find this disgusting and an act with no honor. Thank you for helping to bring this to light.
Thank you for my freedom. These slimy little scumbags should have to pay a heavy price for this. To bad these prospective countries couldn't post some sort of body with cameras and detection device to alert the navy of the reck being robbed. Then these thieves and there ships could join the war memorial on the bottom of the ocean. You sink a couple salvage ship with all thieves on board and I bet this shit would come to a screeching halt. The Navy's of these war memorials obviously don't give a damn about the remains of these heroes who paid the ultimate price for our freedom or at least the people in charge don't.
The salvager’s are disturbing the graves of the men and women who provided the salvager’s with the freedom they currently enjoy. Their behavior is outrageous!
As a lifelong print journalist I want to thank you for being so careful to credit the original sources for this story. You get so sick of being ripped off, seeing some talking head presenting your work as if it were their own.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
My Great Grandad was an electrician on the HMAS Perth and he survived the sinking and being a prisoner of war and made it home only to pass away years later from the wounds he suffered as a prisoner, I’ve heard lots of stories that amazes me even thinking about them now, the things they went through are truly remarkable and fascinating to hear about too
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
As an American with relatives that fought in ww2 I find this heartless and disgusting those responsible should be given prison time for destroying war graves
I wonder if things would be different if a US warship was dredged-up. I know the USS Houston has been hit by looters in the past, but not to the extent of the Australian, British, Dutch, and Japanese shipwrecks
@@HistoryX wonder if they have not been touching the American shipwrecks, because they fear the U.S. government will take it seriously and do something about it.
@@HistoryX i could be wrong but the australian,british and dutch ships in the java sea and other areas have been hit hard because they sank in relatively shallow waters and therefore easier for salvage divers to pick over and steal from...further the navy(s) that patrol those areas have no orders to protect wrecks or even guard against modern day piracy or fishing practices that destroy fish and other sea life habitats
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Good on you for picking this up and making it more accessible to Western eyes and ears. The disturbing and looting of war graves is outrageous. That said, the destruction of the home(s) to so much marine life is also a crime. If destroying some natural reefs is illegal, why isn’t it illegal to destroy artificial reefs??
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Grave robbing has been a thing since the Egyptians first built monuments to their dead. As long as there is money to be made, there will be people who will disregard the laws and the dignity of the dead. Perpetrators of these crimes should face long prison sentences and crippling fines. These war graves need to be protected by an international treaty that is enforced by the navies of all nations.
As a Retired Navy Veteran I find this appalling in every sense of the word! This makes me so upset because I to have a family member a 1st Cousin 2x removed that served in WWII on the USS EDSALL when it went down off the coast of Java. It sickens me a great deal to think that these grave robbers are doing this for scrap metal...where is the honor in doing that I ask!?😢
@@cindycarrasco2383 everything. there's ready-usable low-radiation steel just laying there not being used. The living matter. the dead do not. it's supremely ironic that the British of all people are complaining about grave desecration, when they never honored the living relatives to begin with by burial and retreival.
This is appalling. My grandad was in the Royal Navy in WW2 and the thought that someone blowing up his grave to steal the metal from his grave and his shipmates graves brings tears to my eyes. Those people fought and payed with their lives to keep the evil at bay. If they had war graves under the sea I would never mess with them just out of respect for the dead alone. Those barges need blowing out of the water or confiscated and cut up for scrap metal.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
That is absolutely outrageous! The Navies of the countries of origin should be absolutely outraged. Just to let you know HMS Prince of Wales is a Battleship not a battlecruiser. Thankyou for your work.
And let's also add the fact that in the battle of the Java sea the ships sunk were not battleships (he said the allies lost at least 8 battleships there), but smaller types of warships (heavy cruisers, light cruisers, destroyers)
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Both my grandfathers fought the Japanese in the Philippines. Somehow they both made it back. But they were not the same men when they returned. One was in the army Air Force. The other was in the Navy. It would make them sick. If they knew their fellow comrades graves were being robbed. The way it makes me sick.
Awws boo hoo! Who cares man they are long gone and dont give a shit. When you die and go to the next realm you wont give a shit about your bones either
Salvagers cannot go after Johnston or Samuel B. Roberts...they don't have the equipment to get even halfway down there. They're after much-shallower wrecks. USS Houston is also pretty safe, despite being in such shallow water, due to the fact she is regularly checked on by the U.S. Navy.
@@donaldkepple4927 Don't bet on that, if large chunks of Titanic can be hauled to the surface, even these wrecks eventually won't be safe from the pillagers and desecrators.
@@taras3702 minor point here, but when they hauled up the hull plate from titanic for the museum they still needed the subs to get lines on and to deploy the lift bags in the first place. Subs also stabilized the piece all the way up. Not a case of drop a line over the side and haul away. The sheer length of cable needed to get to the deeper wrecks means that trying to drop a barge claw doesn't really work. It's a cat chasing its tail. Longer the cable, the more the cable weighs, the more the cable weighs, the heavier the cable needed to support its own weight... Glomar Explorer (K-129 recovery) / Giant 4 (Kursk recovery) are two examples of the kind of equipment required to salvage from deep water. Not exactly your "toss it together in the garage" type of gear.
Let’s pray all those salvagers get haunted by the ghost of the soldiers who fought and served in those ships. and that when they die they will see hell instead of heaven.
There was a show awhile back about ww1 ships that had their stainless steel appliances and sinks removed by scrappers as it was considered un contaminated by nuclear material.
The material is valuable for lining laboratories where they need to measure radiation accurately. Much of the German fleet from the first war was scuttled at Scapa Flow. Being pre-1945 it had very little radioactive material to interfere with measurements.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Problem with bringing the criminals to justice is the statutes are largely unenforceable due to lack of manpower coupled with widespread corruption within the enforcement agencies. Horrible, but it is what it is.
I was a crew member on two ww2 ships. This angers and disgusts me! I wonder how much money the "authorities" on these islands took to look the other way during these ILLEGAL salvage operations. Disrespectful and sickening people! They ALL need decades in prison!
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Thank you Ken for putting this together and making it free to watch by all. sharing this will raise the awareness of the public and hopefully the lethargic legal system will put paid to this looting and distrubing of war graves and UNESCO sites
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Grave robbing has been humanity's favorite sport for thousands of years. There are many stories of people finding treasure buried with metal detectors. As for these shipwrecks, they may be carrying valuable stuff in their vaults, anything from gold bars to coded documents and even medals or other memorabilia. The bronze propellers are worth a fortune anyways.
@@aussiepom The iron ore in the ground can be mined without contaminating it. The problem arises during smelting where oxygen from our atmosphere and other metals are added and the air has the traces of radioactive fallout as do the other metals. Manufacturing pure virgin stainless and specialty steels is ultra expensive. These ships are the most cost effective way to obtain low background steel. We have been robbing graves forever. It's just a matter of how old they are to insult our sensibilities. Look at all of the looting in Egypt of ancient graves and nobody complains.
I’ve never come across your channel before but I’m glad I did. I can’t even begin to tell you how pissed I was while watching this! While I currently do not know for certain if I had any great relatives, who perished I know for a fact that many have. These warships were not just a piece of history but a final resting grave to so many. As someone who’s going to school for history and maritime history it greatly upsets me. I never knew these things were a problem I never suspected it to be a problem, because I figure because they were final resting graves these ships are to be protected. I was wrong. I hope going on in the future these people are caught and punished. No matter how valuable the steel or iron is it should not be TOUCHED!
Very sad my grandfather was in wwII on the USS Louisville CA-28 North Hampton class cruiser. He came home in 45 but so many didn't . More need to be done to protect these ships and all the young men's Graves
It was interesting to see the USS Croaker in your sponsor segment. The USS Croaker was a WWII Gato-class submarine. It was modified and recommissioned several times over the years. Following its last decommissioning, it was initially displayed in Groton, Connecticut. In 1981, I was transferred to the USS Bremerton (SSN-698), then under construction at Electric Boat in Groton and I traveled past the USS Croaker daily going between the submarine base and the shipyard. The USS Bremerton (SSN-698) was my first submarine. When I reported aboard, my division Leading Petty Officer aka LPO was a Senior Chief Petty Officer whose first submarine was the USS Croaker. Nice to know the USS Croaker wasn't sent to the scrapyard. It's a small world.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
@@flashgordon6670these wrecks are in international waters. I don't think what they're doing is actually illegal. Even if you had satellite footage of the ships what good would that do? It's an extremely difficult and costly venture to raise a ship. Who would pay for it? You couldn't do that with most ships anyway because they're so damaged that most of it would fall apart. Even if you did lift it and put it on display somewhere you would just have a big rust bucket with jagged edges all over it. People wouldn't be able to go inside or anything. And there is an organization that's responsible for stuff like this. UNESCO. But it's not like they can do anything about it.
Very sad. I as a diver and history buff view this as a sad moment for our society. I understand the need for these metals but it's a historical grave. Hope you enjoyed your view of our ships here in Buffalo NY. They do need some TLC sadly
@@davidmcintyre998 I am on the other said of the planet and cant do much. Neither do i have a stake in this but i find the whole thing detestable. What i did is left a negative comment and review on there google calling them out as grave robbers. Sadly as a single person there is not much one can do. But if it was more publicized in the states that the ships belong to and reported to the UN some thing might be done. But nothing will happen until the Politicians in charge are made aver and pressured in to action. It is painfull to watch because a similar thing is happening on Kosovo whit Serbian graveyards Albanians are destroying grave stones and graves trying to erase that any Serbs lived there for centuries. And nothing is being done by the west cuz the Albanians are American buddies. And now when i think about it UNESCO wont do a thing either cuz they did not lift a finger to protect Serbian Churches build in the middle ages century. So yea crap.
@@KiselinaSRB Yes the war killed so many all around the world and they should all be honoured but as you point out we seem to learn nothing,i do believe in Karma and if you do bad things bad things will come back to you.
I was in singapore back in 1989 and went into a curio/ antique shop and the owner offered to sell me 2 main gun tompions from what he claimed were from HMS Repulse
@@HistoryX Yes,He also had personal items he said came from thr Repulse and showed me rings,a couple watches,eye glasses..i didnt think much about any of it until i saw those items,it pissed me off. But what to do about? Im in singapore for 1 day,I went back to my ship reported it to my XO gave him the address of the shop but i dont think anything ever came of it
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
@@flashgordon6670 which embassy? American? Brit? Where were you? You shouldve been there to instruct all u.s. navy personnel to be on high alert for pilfered artifacts from sunken war ships.
Of course I believe in the sanctity of war wrecks but it does beg the question when does it become permissible to loot graves? There's a long history of grave robbing from King Tut to the ice man that I believe was found in the Alps. What is the cut off date?
@glenntremblay5406 You raise a good point on human double standards, On Land Millions died in WW! & WW2 in houses, trenches, fields, all got bull dozed, and reused, all those places were "War Grave sites", but when it comes to the sea, filled with ships, tanks, etc that would of cost a small fortune to remove for the nations who owned the ships, they just leave it there and "claim" it is a War grave. and now that some one else is making money from removing the scrap at the bottom of the sea, that should not be there, some complain about it, I never stop finding it funny how humans are so blatant with their double standards, (war graves on land yes just remove them as we need to re use the land, but under the sea, no one uses it, and never mind the pollution from the wrecks, just call it a war grave and leave it there. what a total farce.
Respect for the dead is a basic human responsibility, yet this doesn't surprise me. As economies collapse and people get more desperate, this will not only continue but increase. Very sad indeed
All I know as a Navy veteran if I was rich I'd outfit a ship to shoot torpedoes and I'd go looking for these damn grave robbers!!! If the government's aren't going to make them pay or do anything to stop this unbelievable crime then they shouldn't worry about someone sinking these damned grave robbers!!!
Then the illegal salvagers arm themselves and come after you and your family. What next Einstein? We’re dealing with pirates basically here and we’ll organised large criminal gangs that are up to God knows what and are being helped by the authorities and even governments.
It was a Global war, people died some instantly some brutally, some suffocated, some in agony, these ships have laws in place stating they are war graves it’s a form of protection. They did not ask to die in battle or by being torpedoed, but they did so they are protected so show some fucking respect you heartless tick.
Like ive always said: never underestimate a crackhead when scrap metals are involved. Theyll dive to the deepest depths of the ocean using a 2 liter coke bottle and some yarn and move entire ships or destroy a $20k piece of equipment for $2.60 worth of scrap.
No difference a grave is a grave and I like how people are getting so up in arms about some bones when the very policy of the Navy for casualty affairs is to simply chunk them off the boat to feed the fish .. smh ..
This is clearly a violation and is horrible and disgusting. Thanks for bringing this to light here. 😠 The sad side of this mess is that money talks loudly, and the countries giving out these vague salvage "permits" are: # 1: Poor #2: Very corrupt #3 Police States (eg: Indonesia...) I'm surprised the journalist is still alive! Make no mistake, there's serious money going after this steel. It's a literal gold to whoever it is....: Pre-Atomic High Tensile strength special alloy steels. As he said, it's not IF it is literally WHEN. Greed.
This is disgusting, also if they blast in the wrong place or wreck they could set ammo off and trigger a massive explosion. And it’s sad to see these ships be ripped apart mercilessly, not only for the people who fought and died on them but the people that built them
Oh shut up man. Whocares. They are dead and thier soul has long moved onto the next realm.. they dont care and niether should you. Get some spiritual awakening and grow up already.
And nobody is doing anything to stop it because they can't. It's hundreds of salvage companies doing it. The steel is worth many thousands of dollars plus their cargo. Some cargos are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. To a poor fisherman the opportunity to report wreck sites where nets get stuck and get a thousand dollars is too great to resist.
"...all steel created after WW2 has been slightly radioactive." Yes, but all steel ever produced is slightly radioactive, in fact everything on the planet has always had a radioactive signature since the beginning of time.
The history that they have destroyed for greed can never be replaced! The owners of these damned salvage places should spend the rest of their miserable lives in prison!!! How damn evil can people get???
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
@@flashgordon6670 it's not just illegal, but realistically impossible to raise these wrecks to recover the remains. Read my highlighted comment to see my proposed solution.
That's absolutely reprehensible. We need to station ships there for security. They'll stop doing this once a few of their ships have been turned into scrap metal themselves.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
This is absolutely unconscionable. I remember watching the original documentary by CNA. I was under the impression something was being done. As usual, wrong. It's up to each major power, to work together, to save our war dead from grave robbers at sea.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Without casting doubt on the alleged incidence of war graves being disturbed, something smells about the reporting. And it isn't the smell of "charred flesh" from the remains sailors who have been on the sea floor for over 80 years. Just how stupid does this woman [6:36] think viewers are? If the producers think they can get away with that sort of rubbish, what else should we be smelling!? Read below - I'm not the only one to raise this point!
I can't believe ships rotting away at the bottom of the sea are worth the effort it would take to reclaim the metal much less the blow back it would cause
These ships were built before the nuclear age and thus contain low background steel which is very valuable. The remains of the men who went down on these ships are no longer there. After 75 years, even their bones would have disappeared. Basically these wrecks are just a bunch of rusted junk on the bottom of the ocean. I personally don't see anything wrong with salvaging them. If they hadn't been sunk they would have been broken up for scrap after the war.
@@trevorn9381 a video mention that many of these shipwrecks are underwater museums visited buy divers from all around the world. It is still a grave, there is probably nothing left of bodies buried under the ground but you still don't dig them up and remove jewelry and other personal belongings.
@Trevor N actually the remains were still there. Some of the human remains were found by the scrapyard workers and the divers who have been to these sites attest to witnessing the presence of human remains in these ships. This is very much tearing up a grave to get at the goodies inside. And even if there were no human remains in there it would still be destroying national heritage.
@@danielbont2331Oh shut up man. Whocares. They are dead and thier soul has long moved onto the next realm.. they dont care and niether should you. Get some spiritual awakening and grow up already.
I’m not sure I’m onboard with the nuclear radiation angle, but I’m on board with whatever it takes to stop this from happening. We all know the reason they do this is because of free metal.
High quality armor plate and other high grade steel. Tons of copper,brass, stainless steel. This is a scrappers dream. These countries know exactly the company,s doing this
They should be imprisoned for 25 year's for war grave robbing and illegal Maritime salvage, this is the lowest of the lows, disgusting and heart breaking. My grandfather and his two brothers fought with the USA and survived being captured by the German's in WW2, I Remember them proudly with tear's every Anzac day as I play the Last Stand at 6am sharp
when I consider what was asked of that generation, to pay the last full measure of devotion only to be scattered to the scrap yard for a couple bucks. I simply have no words. just a deep hurt in my heart.
Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about the opening of the Egyptian pyramids? Can the academic value of studying them out weigh disturbing the tombs?
It is so sad that these grave robbers have no spiritual or moral compass. What they have done is abhorrent and evil beyond imagination. My thanks to this channel and the brave young journalist for this sad story. It is sad but must be trumpeted from the mountain tops. Thank you….
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Oh shut up man. Whocares. They are dead and thier soul has long moved onto the next realm.. they dont care and niether should you. Speaking of spiritual stuff.. Get some spiritual awakening and grow up already. Its good the metal is getting cleaned up
there is an american ww2 submarine that was sunk by japanese warships off the island of kho samoi thailand several hundred kilometres east in approx 235 ft of water....the entire crew are still aboard her...this is recognised as a war grave ...this sub was identified by a team of thai and u s navy divers as the uss lagarto....i hope this sub does not go missing...if it does the entire world will finally take action against these ship grave robbers and the robbers will spend time in prison where they can reflect on their crime
2 things 1 we can place monitoring devices on these wrecks and if disturbed go there and see why .2 if they are salvage vessels remove the crew and sink the salvage ship until it makes it too expensive for those companies to operate .If they complain cease all there assets If there Governments complain block all commerce into and out of that country.
What shocks me is just how greedy people have become not even grave sights are safe from thieves. These people should have weight's tied around their feet and thrown into the ocean the world would be a better place without them.
I am a Australian veteran. I do not find this surprising at all. The people of these Asian countries have no respect for these sites. It is in their DNA. All for one and one for me. Money is their only object. They do not care about the land, the sea, environment nothing as long as they look after number one. They will not stop and can not be stopped. We can not even stop them over fishing, wiping out entire areas of ocean, so how do you stop this.
Why are the colonial nations expecting the Malaysian government to spend all of their money to protect these sights? With nothing in return. The wrecks are too deep for tourism. The colonial nations should pay for the Malaysian government to do this work.
Well, what do you expect when there's quite literally millions and millions of dollars worth of VERY HIGH QUALITY steel just laying there on the bottom of the ocean doing nothing but rotting away...
😂😂 i agree, the navy only calls them a grave because they couldn't be bothered spending all that money to recover the bodies and decontaminate the wrecks.
Thank you for this story. I am not a metallurgicalist but if the pre atomic steel is brought up and processed does the process taint it with radiation the same way new steel is processed when raw materials are brought up from underground and made into steel? How is new steel being made tainted with radiation? I am in no way defending these people who are doing this. I am once again glad you shared this story. GOD Bless you and your family
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations? The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks? Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains? Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors. A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships. It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects. Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it? There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards. That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail. Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle. Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
I find it funny that, many decades ago, a particular shipwreck, was gutted for its cargo of aluminium which, is very valuable. "THEY'VE" been at it for over 60 years. Regardless of IF, there was human remains.
While i can appreciate your sentiment, I'm not sure we'd want a world with international organizations unaccountable to the people with the power to legislate and prosecute individuals.
I find it difficult to believe bones have survived 80 years in the saltwater. And to say ‘We smelled human flesh’ is a bald face lie designed to stoke a frenzy
The issue is the demand for pre 1945 steel. It is needed for medical equipment, other test equipment in several industries. The instruments require steel that has not been contaminated by trace radiation from nuclear detonations. The problem is not only found in the waters off Southeast Asia. The wrecks from the World War I Battle of Jutland, off the Danish coast, have also been heavily salvaged by Danish, Swedish and salvors from Europe. In the Southeast Asia it’s believed that most of this illegal salvage is being accomplished by the Peoples Republic of China.
As an ex service man and from a long family history of service I find this disgusting and an act with no honor. Thank you for helping to bring this to light.
Colonizers paying the price. 😁
Im sorry this is happening man thank you for your service
Thank you for my freedom. These slimy little scumbags should have to pay a heavy price for this. To bad these prospective countries couldn't post some sort of body with cameras and detection device to alert the navy of the reck being robbed. Then these thieves and there ships could join the war memorial on the bottom of the ocean. You sink a couple salvage ship with all thieves on board and I bet this shit would come to a screeching halt. The Navy's of these war memorials obviously don't give a damn about the remains of these heroes who paid the ultimate price for our freedom or at least the people in charge don't.
The salvager’s are disturbing the graves of the men and women who provided the salvager’s with the freedom they currently enjoy. Their behavior is outrageous!
Absolutely disgusting behaviour.
As a lifelong print journalist I want to thank you for being so careful to credit the original sources for this story. You get so sick of being ripped off, seeing some talking head presenting your work as if it were their own.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
absolutely!
after 5 yrs there was nothing organic left to worry about.
The investigative journalist here is actually a Journalist and a hero to history. Not like the scum masquerading as journalist in United States now.
Ya know, a warship putting a few holes in the hull of the salvage ships may be a decent deterrent.
And send them straight to the bottom.
Sinking them would be even better.
Yep
Feed the crew to the sharks.
They don’t even blow pirates out of the water in Somalia no spineless leaders of our will do anything
My Great Grandad was an electrician on the HMAS Perth and he survived the sinking and being a prisoner of war and made it home only to pass away years later from the wounds he suffered as a prisoner, I’ve heard lots of stories that amazes me even thinking about them now, the things they went through are truly remarkable and fascinating to hear about too
if you can gain access to the ships log during ww2 your in for a amazing read
@@timbrown2809 thanks for that.
My Uncle was Killed in Combat April 6,1942 Bataan Philippines Listed MIA 2nd Lt John Roslick of 31st Inf Reg
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
I served on HMAS Perth II in 1982 we held a morning service in the Sunda Strait over the site of HMAS Perth I in 1982
As an American with relatives that fought in ww2 I find this heartless and disgusting those responsible should be given prison time for destroying war graves
and also paint all the wreckage in yellow-blue color
Absolutely deplorable and disgusting what they are doing to these war graves.
I wonder if things would be different if a US warship was dredged-up. I know the USS Houston has been hit by looters in the past, but not to the extent of the Australian, British, Dutch, and Japanese shipwrecks
@@HistoryX wonder if they have not been touching the American shipwrecks, because they fear the U.S. government will take it seriously and do something about it.
@@Ronaldl2350 the uss pope has been picked clean by salvagers in the java sea
@@HistoryX i could be wrong but the australian,british and dutch ships in the java sea and other areas have been hit hard because they sank in relatively shallow waters and therefore easier for salvage divers to pick over and steal from...further the navy(s) that patrol those areas have no orders to protect wrecks or even guard against modern day piracy or fishing practices that destroy fish and other sea life habitats
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Any Naval ships coming across these criminals should send them to join the graves they are robbing.
This is deplorable an act of touching war graves is dishonourable and a violation of evil doings
Good on you for picking this up and making it more accessible to Western eyes and ears. The disturbing and looting of war graves is outrageous. That said, the destruction of the home(s) to so much marine life is also a crime. If destroying some natural reefs is illegal, why isn’t it illegal to destroy artificial reefs??
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Grave robbing has been a thing since the Egyptians first built monuments to their dead. As long as there is money to be made, there will be people who will disregard the laws and the dignity of the dead. Perpetrators of these crimes should face long prison sentences and crippling fines. These war graves need to be protected by an international treaty that is enforced by the navies of all nations.
As a Retired Navy Veteran I find this appalling in every sense of the word! This makes me so upset because I to have a family member a 1st Cousin 2x removed that served in WWII on the USS EDSALL when it went down off the coast of Java. It sickens me a great deal to think that these grave robbers are doing this for scrap metal...where is the honor in doing that I ask!?😢
$$$$$
No honor, only greed. Shameless and disgusting greed. May they pick up an undersea mine by accident a join the graves they defile.
feeding the living is always honorable.
@@kylekataryn3454 what does feeding the living have to do with this...nothing
@@cindycarrasco2383 everything. there's ready-usable low-radiation steel just laying there not being used. The living matter. the dead do not.
it's supremely ironic that the British of all people are complaining about grave desecration, when they never honored the living relatives to begin with by burial and retreival.
This is appalling. My grandad was in the Royal Navy in WW2 and the thought that someone blowing up his grave to steal the metal from his grave and his shipmates graves brings tears to my eyes. Those people fought and payed with their lives to keep the evil at bay. If they had war graves under the sea I would never mess with them just out of respect for the dead alone. Those barges need blowing out of the water or confiscated and cut up for scrap metal.
Agreed, they should be sunk and sent to join the dead they were robbing
evil at bay..the allies and the Juice that controlled them were the evil ones...history is a set of L eyes agreed upon ..Napoleon
I completely understand the anger and hurt people feel about the disturbing, let alone salvaging of these war graves.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
That is absolutely outrageous! The Navies of the countries of origin should be absolutely outraged. Just to let you know HMS Prince of Wales is a Battleship not a battlecruiser. Thankyou for your work.
You stole my thunder about Prince of Wales being a battleship and not a battlecruiser...good for you for correcting his mistake!
@@dnedlew Thankyou for honoring a proud ship. May she never be forgotten.
And let's also add the fact that in the battle of the Java sea the ships sunk were not battleships (he said the allies lost at least 8 battleships there), but smaller types of warships (heavy cruisers, light cruisers, destroyers)
@@DJKenTuckyOfficial yeah, that is abig time screw up.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Wouldn't it be very pleasurable to torpedo the salvage ship while they're in the act of looting?
No picking up survivors either.
What survivors
Both my grandfathers fought the Japanese in the Philippines. Somehow they both made it back. But they were not the same men when they returned. One was in the army Air Force. The other was in the Navy. It would make them sick. If they knew their fellow comrades graves were being robbed. The way it makes me sick.
should have buried them on land then
@@kylekataryn3454what a well thought out, intelligent comment.
Awws boo hoo! Who cares man they are long gone and dont give a shit. When you die and go to the next realm you wont give a shit about your bones either
Salvagers cannot go after Johnston or Samuel B. Roberts...they don't have the equipment to get even halfway down there. They're after much-shallower wrecks. USS Houston is also pretty safe, despite being in such shallow water, due to the fact she is regularly checked on by the U.S. Navy.
A pity we can't have a submarine lurking where these wrecks are being pillaged, with orders to sink these illegal salvage vessels.
Thank goodness they can't get to the Johnston Sammy b and the Indianapolis
@@donaldkepple4927 Don't bet on that, if large chunks of Titanic can be hauled to the surface, even these wrecks eventually won't be safe from the pillagers and desecrators.
@@taras3702 exactly right!
@@taras3702 minor point here, but when they hauled up the hull plate from titanic for the museum they still needed the subs to get lines on and to deploy the lift bags in the first place. Subs also stabilized the piece all the way up. Not a case of drop a line over the side and haul away. The sheer length of cable needed to get to the deeper wrecks means that trying to drop a barge claw doesn't really work. It's a cat chasing its tail. Longer the cable, the more the cable weighs, the more the cable weighs, the heavier the cable needed to support its own weight...
Glomar Explorer (K-129 recovery) / Giant 4 (Kursk recovery) are two examples of the kind of equipment required to salvage from deep water. Not exactly your "toss it together in the garage" type of gear.
Let’s pray all those salvagers get haunted by the ghost of the soldiers who fought and served in those ships. and that when they die they will see hell instead of heaven.
There was a show awhile back about ww1 ships that had their stainless steel appliances and sinks removed by scrappers as it was considered un contaminated by nuclear material.
The material is valuable for lining laboratories where they need to measure radiation accurately. Much of the German fleet from the first war was scuttled at Scapa Flow. Being pre-1945 it had very little radioactive material to interfere with measurements.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
I was looking for this comment because I was going to say the same thing. I'm glad to meet you. Great minds.
yep thats exactly why they are dong it.
Congrats to Hanifan, so many horrible things would have never come to light without the courage of journos like them.
Even though these warships lie in foreign waters, are they not technically still the property of the countries who commissioned them?
Yes they are.
Problem with bringing the criminals to justice is the statutes are largely unenforceable due to lack of manpower coupled with widespread corruption within the enforcement agencies. Horrible, but it is what it is.
Sounds like the local government and law could be tied up in this with the salvage industry.
I was a crew member on two ww2 ships. This angers and disgusts me! I wonder how much money the "authorities" on these islands took to look the other way during these ILLEGAL salvage operations. Disrespectful and sickening people! They ALL need decades in prison!
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Thank you Ken for putting this together and making it free to watch by all.
sharing this will raise the awareness of the public and hopefully the lethargic legal system will put paid to this looting and distrubing of war graves and UNESCO sites
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
HMS Exeter was illegally salvaged my grandmother's brother was a sailor on her :(
Thank you for putting this out it is an atrocity that needs the light of day shown on it!
God nobody has ever made me not want to use audible as much as you have.
Grave robbing has been humanity's favorite sport for thousands of years. There are many stories of people finding treasure buried with metal detectors.
As for these shipwrecks, they may be carrying valuable stuff in their vaults, anything from gold bars to coded documents and even medals or other memorabilia. The bronze propellers are worth a fortune anyways.
Yes, and we are never going to stop it.
As I commented above, One of these days they will be after the oil that's inside nearly all of these wrecks.
The only thing I find disturbing is the disrespect for human remains. Box the remains and return to sea.
its the actual steel... had to do with it being made before nukes.... its wild but it makes all that pre-atomic age steel very very valuble
@@aussiepom The iron ore in the ground can be mined without contaminating it. The problem arises during smelting where oxygen from our atmosphere and other metals are added and the air has the traces of radioactive fallout as do the other metals. Manufacturing pure virgin stainless and specialty steels is ultra expensive. These ships are the most cost effective way to obtain low background steel. We have been robbing graves forever. It's just a matter of how old they are to insult our sensibilities. Look at all of the looting in Egypt of ancient graves and nobody complains.
Anyone caught robbing war Graves of heros should be put in prison for life
There's no laws in Indonesia if you drive by on the street you can see dozens of 10 year old driving racing 200 cc motorcycles that's crazy😅😢
One can only hope they bring up armaments that are still live and that go off and destroy their ships.
I think the ones that are stealing on ships and cutting them up I gotta put them in jail for life
Hms Exeter has been robbed , there was a sailor from my town killed on that ship , I discovered his head stone in our church yard
Every countries military: Trashes ocean
Salvage crew: Cleans ocean
Every country: Thieves!
I’ve never come across your channel before but I’m glad I did. I can’t even begin to tell you how pissed I was while watching this! While I currently do not know for certain if I had any great relatives, who perished I know for a fact that many have. These warships were not just a piece of history but a final resting grave to so many. As someone who’s going to school for history and maritime history it greatly upsets me. I never knew these things were a problem I never suspected it to be a problem, because I figure because they were final resting graves these ships are to be protected. I was wrong. I hope going on in the future these people are caught and punished. No matter how valuable the steel or iron is it should not be TOUCHED!
Very sad my grandfather was in wwII on the USS Louisville CA-28 North Hampton class cruiser. He came home in 45 but so many didn't . More need to be done to protect these ships and all the young men's Graves
It was interesting to see the USS Croaker in your sponsor segment. The USS Croaker was a WWII Gato-class submarine. It was modified and recommissioned several times over the years. Following its last decommissioning, it was initially displayed in Groton, Connecticut. In 1981, I was transferred to the USS Bremerton (SSN-698), then under construction at Electric Boat in Groton and I traveled past the USS Croaker daily going between the submarine base and the shipyard. The USS Bremerton (SSN-698) was my first submarine. When I reported aboard, my division Leading Petty Officer aka LPO was a Senior Chief Petty Officer whose first submarine was the USS Croaker. Nice to know the USS Croaker wasn't sent to the scrapyard. It's a small world.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
I was on USS Seahorse SSN669 back in the 70's
Your LCPO was your LPO, shipmate? Submarines Once!
Japan and Germany had nothing on our own government for destroying our historic military treasures.
@@flashgordon6670these wrecks are in international waters. I don't think what they're doing is actually illegal.
Even if you had satellite footage of the ships what good would that do?
It's an extremely difficult and costly venture to raise a ship. Who would pay for it? You couldn't do that with most ships anyway because they're so damaged that most of it would fall apart. Even if you did lift it and put it on display somewhere you would just have a big rust bucket with jagged edges all over it. People wouldn't be able to go inside or anything.
And there is an organization that's responsible for stuff like this. UNESCO. But it's not like they can do anything about it.
Very sad. I as a diver and history buff view this as a sad moment for our society. I understand the need for these metals but it's a historical grave.
Hope you enjoyed your view of our ships here in Buffalo NY. They do need some TLC sadly
Your passion for diving and history shines through your words. Thank you for caring about these historical sites.
More people need to see this.
And the culprits must be held accountable.
Justice must be done.
Nothing will be done by the US government, o'biden and hussein o'bama are probably making money off of this heinous atrocity.
If only but i doubt anything will be done,i have been told a destroyer sank with the HMS Hermes has completely disappeared.
@@davidmcintyre998 I am on the other said of the planet and cant do much. Neither do i have a stake in this but i find the whole thing detestable.
What i did is left a negative comment and review on there google calling them out as grave robbers.
Sadly as a single person there is not much one can do.
But if it was more publicized in the states that the ships belong to and reported to the UN some thing might be done. But nothing will happen until the Politicians in charge are made aver and pressured in to action.
It is painfull to watch because a similar thing is happening on Kosovo whit Serbian graveyards Albanians are destroying grave stones and graves trying to erase that any Serbs lived there for centuries.
And nothing is being done by the west cuz the Albanians are American buddies.
And now when i think about it UNESCO wont do a thing either cuz they did not lift a finger to protect Serbian Churches build in the middle ages century.
So yea crap.
@@KiselinaSRB Yes the war killed so many all around the world and they should all be honoured but as you point out we seem to learn nothing,i do believe in Karma and if you do bad things bad things will come back to you.
What's wrong with scrapping old wrecks those people are trying to make a living and I think finder has the salvage rights per maritime law
I was in singapore back in 1989 and went into a curio/ antique shop and the owner offered to sell me 2 main gun tompions from what he claimed were from HMS Repulse
Really??? Wow, that's amazing. So this has been going on for decades.
@@HistoryX Yes,He also had personal items he said came from thr Repulse and showed me rings,a couple watches,eye glasses..i didnt think much about any of it until i saw those items,it pissed me off.
But what to do about? Im in singapore for 1 day,I went back to my ship reported it to my XO gave him the address of the shop but i dont think anything ever came of it
You should’ve written a letter to the embassy.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
@@flashgordon6670 which embassy? American? Brit?
Where were you? You shouldve been there to instruct all u.s. navy personnel to be on high alert for pilfered artifacts from sunken war ships.
This is absolutely repulsive, disgusting and without honor. This will never be tolerated.
Of course I believe in the sanctity of war wrecks but it does beg the question when does it become permissible to loot graves? There's a long history of grave robbing from King Tut to the ice man that I believe was found in the Alps. What is the cut off date?
@glenntremblay5406 You raise a good point on human double standards, On Land Millions died in WW! & WW2 in houses, trenches, fields, all got bull dozed, and reused, all those places were "War Grave sites", but when it comes to the sea, filled with ships, tanks, etc that would of cost a small fortune to remove for the nations who owned the ships, they just leave it there and "claim" it is a War grave. and now that some one else is making money from removing the scrap at the bottom of the sea, that should not be there, some complain about it, I never stop finding it funny how humans are so blatant with their double standards, (war graves on land yes just remove them as we need to re use the land, but under the sea, no one uses it, and never mind the pollution from the wrecks, just call it a war grave and leave it there. what a total farce.
@@Cortinaman63 that's exactly what I was going to say. Get that crap out of the ocean and bury any remains on land
As a Navy veteran I say if they catch these scumbags they should sink them on site!!!
alot of salvage hunters are protected by corrupt govt officials, and are quickly warned if another countrys navy or police are in the area
This is a very well made video, may every crewmate rest in peace.
Respect for the dead is a basic human responsibility, yet this doesn't surprise me. As economies collapse and people get more desperate, this will not only continue but increase. Very sad indeed
All I know as a Navy veteran if I was rich I'd outfit a ship to shoot torpedoes and I'd go looking for these damn grave robbers!!!
If the government's aren't going to make them pay or do anything to stop this unbelievable crime then they shouldn't worry about someone sinking these damned grave robbers!!!
Then the illegal salvagers arm themselves and come after you and your family. What next Einstein? We’re dealing with pirates basically here and we’ll organised large criminal gangs that are up to God knows what and are being helped by the authorities and even governments.
Some navy should sink those salvage ships when ever they are found salvaging war wrecks !!! No questions asked ,Your going to the bottom ! Now !!!
Abandoned vessel, International Waters. There is no laws.
Naval warships sunk during wartime are treated differently
It was a Global war, people died some instantly some brutally, some suffocated, some in agony, these ships have laws in place stating they are war graves it’s a form of protection. They did not ask to die in battle or by being torpedoed, but they did so they are protected so show some fucking respect you heartless tick.
Like ive always said: never underestimate a crackhead when scrap metals are involved. Theyll dive to the deepest depths of the ocean using a 2 liter coke bottle and some yarn and move entire ships or destroy a $20k piece of equipment for $2.60 worth of scrap.
What's the Difference of Salvaging Ship Wreaks Believed by some as Sacred and Opening Egyptian Toombs of the Pyemias?
About 4000 years. Those bones were quite possibly the remains of someone's father who's still alive today.
Grave robbing of Egyptian tombs happened long before European archeologists picked up a shovel.
No difference a grave is a grave and I like how people are getting so up in arms about some bones when the very policy of the Navy for casualty affairs is to simply chunk them off the boat to feed the fish .. smh ..
@@IdleDrifter
And what of all the medieval era bodies in cardboard boxes in England? They aren't thousands of years old
The difference is western hypocrisy and double standards
They should force the salvagers to put the ships back
This is clearly a violation and is horrible and disgusting. Thanks for bringing this to light here. 😠
The sad side of this mess is that money talks loudly, and the countries giving out these vague salvage "permits" are:
# 1: Poor
#2: Very corrupt
#3 Police States (eg: Indonesia...) I'm surprised the journalist is still alive!
Make no mistake, there's serious money going after this steel. It's a literal gold to whoever it is....: Pre-Atomic High Tensile strength special alloy steels.
As he said, it's not IF it is literally WHEN.
Greed.
Wow that's horrible
This is disgusting, also if they blast in the wrong place or wreck they could set ammo off and trigger a massive explosion. And it’s sad to see these ships be ripped apart mercilessly, not only for the people who fought and died on them but the people that built them
Oh shut up man. Whocares. They are dead and thier soul has long moved onto the next realm.. they dont care and niether should you. Get some spiritual awakening and grow up already.
And nobody is doing anything to stop it because they can't. It's hundreds of salvage companies doing it. The steel is worth many thousands of dollars plus their cargo. Some cargos are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. To a poor fisherman the opportunity to report wreck sites where nets get stuck and get a thousand dollars is too great to resist.
An enterprise so well equipped that has to be funded from higher up...
When there's money to be made, the rules don't matter 🤬☠️....
"...all steel created after WW2 has been slightly radioactive."
Yes, but all steel ever produced is slightly radioactive, in fact everything on the planet has always had a radioactive signature since the beginning of time.
The history that they have destroyed for greed can never be replaced! The owners of these damned salvage places should spend the rest of their miserable lives in prison!!!
How damn evil can people get???
this is nothing, look at what they are doing to the workers in the scrapyards, what illinesses are they suffering from today and in the future.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
@@JPF941 who cares?
@@flashgordon6670 it's not just illegal, but realistically impossible to raise these wrecks to recover the remains. Read my highlighted comment to see my proposed solution.
@Kirk Kirkland: But then what punishment would you give to war criminals and perpetrators of genocide like Hitler and his Nazis?
That's absolutely reprehensible. We need to station ships there for security. They'll stop doing this once a few of their ships have been turned into scrap metal themselves.
Great expose!
thank you for bringing light too this depravity
Some veterans organizations from around the world should organize and punish those grave robbers.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
Dosen't anybody care about the Merchant Sailors?
This is just horrible. How can they be so disrespectful?
This is absolutely unconscionable.
I remember watching the original documentary by CNA. I was under the impression something was being done. As usual, wrong.
It's up to each major power, to work together, to save our war dead from grave robbers at sea.
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
As an American I salute the ruthless capitalist spirit of ingenuity of whomever is responsible for this! JP Morgan would be proud. :)
Without casting doubt on the alleged incidence of war graves being disturbed, something smells about the reporting. And it isn't the smell of "charred flesh" from the remains sailors who have been on the sea floor for over 80 years. Just how stupid does this woman [6:36] think viewers are? If the producers think they can get away with that sort of rubbish, what else should we be smelling!? Read below - I'm not the only one to raise this point!
I can't believe ships rotting away at the bottom of the sea are worth the effort it would take to reclaim the metal much less the blow back it would cause
These ships were built before the nuclear age and thus contain low background steel which is very valuable. The remains of the men who went down on these ships are no longer there. After 75 years, even their bones would have disappeared. Basically these wrecks are just a bunch of rusted junk on the bottom of the ocean. I personally don't see anything wrong with salvaging them. If they hadn't been sunk they would have been broken up for scrap after the war.
@@trevorn9381 a video mention that many of these shipwrecks are underwater museums visited buy divers from all around the world. It is still a grave, there is probably nothing left of bodies buried under the ground but you still don't dig them up and remove jewelry and other personal belongings.
@Trevor N
actually the remains were still there. Some of the human remains were found by the scrapyard workers and the divers who have been to these sites attest to witnessing the presence of human remains in these ships.
This is very much tearing up a grave to get at the goodies inside.
And even if there were no human remains in there it would still be destroying national heritage.
@@danielbont2331Oh shut up man. Whocares. They are dead and thier soul has long moved onto the next realm.. they dont care and niether should you. Get some spiritual awakening and grow up already.
I’m not sure I’m onboard with the nuclear radiation angle, but I’m on board with whatever it takes to stop this from happening. We all know the reason they do this is because of free metal.
High quality armor plate and other high grade steel. Tons of copper,brass, stainless steel. This is a scrappers dream. These countries know exactly the company,s doing this
They should be imprisoned for 25 year's for war grave robbing and illegal Maritime salvage, this is the lowest of the lows, disgusting and heart breaking.
My grandfather and his two brothers fought with the USA and survived being captured by the German's in WW2, I Remember them proudly with tear's every Anzac day as I play the Last Stand at 6am sharp
when I consider what was asked of that generation, to pay the last full measure of devotion only to be scattered to the scrap yard for a couple bucks. I simply have no words. just a deep hurt in my heart.
This is a disgrace... Let them rest in peace no matter what side they fought on give them the dignity that they deserve..
If they so much as go anywhere near the saratoga, there’ll be hell to pay
I find the Desicration of ANY GRAVE to be CRIME !
Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about the opening of the Egyptian pyramids? Can the academic value of studying them out weigh disturbing the tombs?
It is so sad that these grave robbers have no spiritual or moral compass. What they have done is abhorrent and evil beyond imagination. My thanks to this channel and the brave young journalist for this sad story. It is sad but must be trumpeted from the mountain tops. Thank you….
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
They’ve probably got families with 10 children or more that need feeding and clothing.
Oh shut up man. Whocares. They are dead and thier soul has long moved onto the next realm.. they dont care and niether should you. Speaking of spiritual stuff.. Get some spiritual awakening and grow up already. Its good the metal is getting cleaned up
Those salvage ships should be sunk
there is an american ww2 submarine that was sunk by japanese warships off the island of kho samoi thailand several hundred kilometres east in approx 235 ft of water....the entire crew are still aboard her...this is recognised as a war grave ...this sub was identified by a team of thai and u s navy divers as the uss lagarto....i hope this sub does not go missing...if it does the entire world will finally take action against these ship grave robbers and the robbers will spend time in prison where they can reflect on their crime
They should be booby-trapped.If someone goes there,then, 💥!
gateo class?
Genuine question, what about that submarine would make the world take action as opposed to these other shipwrecks?
@@smokeydapot mercury leaking into a potential food source
2 things 1 we can place monitoring devices on these wrecks and if disturbed go there and see why .2 if they are salvage vessels remove the crew and sink the salvage ship until it makes it too expensive for those companies to operate .If they complain cease all there assets If there Governments complain block all commerce into and out of that country.
What shocks me is just how greedy people have become not even grave sights are safe from thieves. These people should have weight's tied around their feet and thrown into the ocean the world would be a better place without them.
This is disgraceful these are graveyard of humans remains. Would you dig up your love ones? ❤😢❤.
I am a Australian veteran. I do not find this surprising at all. The people of these Asian countries have no respect for these sites. It is in their DNA. All for one and one for me. Money is their only object. They do not care about the land, the sea, environment nothing as long as they look after number one. They will not stop and can not be stopped. We can not even stop them over fishing, wiping out entire areas of ocean, so how do you stop this.
It’s funny that its most likely the Chinese, the largest producer of typically some of the worst quality metal you can get
Indonesians usually do the salvages then sell them to the Chinese or whoever that wants metal at a cheap price.
It’s funnier that you have no source to back ur claim and your opinion is just prejudice against Chinese people
This is too risky and too dangerous for even a handful of companies to do. This is ran by the government.
Why are the colonial nations expecting the Malaysian government to spend all of their money to protect these sights? With nothing in return. The wrecks are too deep for tourism. The colonial nations should pay for the Malaysian government to do this work.
Absolutely bloody disgraceful
Well, what do you expect when there's quite literally millions and millions of dollars worth of VERY HIGH QUALITY steel just laying there on the bottom of the ocean doing nothing but rotting away...
😂😂 i agree, the navy only calls them a grave because they couldn't be bothered spending all that money to recover the bodies and decontaminate the wrecks.
How could the remains this old and have been in the water for 75 years still be odorous? Rip❤
Thank you for this story.
I am not a metallurgicalist but if the pre atomic steel is brought up and processed does the process taint it with radiation the same way new steel is processed when raw materials are brought up from underground and made into steel? How is new steel being made tainted with radiation?
I am in no way defending these people who are doing this. I am once again glad you shared this story.
GOD Bless you and your family
Isn’t there any satellite or aerial photography, of the illegal salvage vessels and operations?
The meaningful question is how to prevent illegal salvaging of shipwrecks?
Perhaps the only real way is to organise multinational operations, to raise the vessels and rebury all the human remains?
Then the vessels can be turned into tourist attractions that can reimburse the operations to raise them. Perhaps some left over pieces could be sold for Scientific use and artefacts and antiques sold to museums and responsible collectors.
A much better way to preserve the history and respect the souls, who went down with their warships.
It just takes joined up thinking and cooperation on an international scale. This is what’s wrong with our world and why there’s wars in the first place, bc of the lack of international cooperation on joint projects.
Somehow, I highly doubt that the scrap merchants were selling all that scrap for special instruments. They would’ve gotten rid of the evidence as quickly as possible. Maybe the Chinese are behind it?
There must be some paper trail and financial evidence of all this pre bomb metal and where it went after the scrapyards.
That’s what’s needed to be investigated m, either by the police or by private detectives. The police have most probably been bribed and are in on the racket, so good luck to anyone who’s brave enough to try and investigate the flow of the metal and paper trail.
Sounds like a job for the Cook report guy and rogue trader’s Matt Right and maybe Ross Kemp for some extra muscle.
Don’t worry though, there’ll be plenty more shipwrecks when WW3 kicks off and at least they’re recycling all the old metal, instead of causing environmental damage producing fresh metal. Poor fishys though, now they have to look for new homes.
I find it funny that, many decades ago, a particular shipwreck, was gutted for its cargo of aluminium which, is very valuable. "THEY'VE" been at it for over 60 years. Regardless of IF, there was human remains.
UN which doesnt do anything good should do something good and make this illegal with harsh punishment
While i can appreciate your sentiment, I'm not sure we'd want a world with international organizations unaccountable to the people with the power to legislate and prosecute individuals.
Absolutely disgusting. People that do this no longer deserve oxygen.
With the satellites we have why can't they keep a eye on these shipwrecks and when they see a salvage operation happening go out and sink them!!!!!
Ty for the video and in investigation
I find it difficult to believe bones have survived 80 years in the saltwater. And to say ‘We smelled human flesh’ is a bald face lie designed to stoke a frenzy
More like someone was getting burned by the torch when they were cutting..
@@DavidDiaz-zp4hu Or there was a dead fish in the part of the wreck the brought up.
Dang, why did they need to salvage war ships when I heard covid caused alot of curise liners to be scrapped?
Greetings. The painful poverty of Indonesia drives such salvage (in my view). Kind regards.
The issue is the demand for pre 1945 steel. It is needed for medical equipment, other test equipment in several industries. The instruments require steel that has not been contaminated by trace radiation from nuclear detonations.
The problem is not only found in the waters off Southeast Asia. The wrecks from the World War I Battle of Jutland, off the Danish coast, have also been heavily salvaged by Danish, Swedish and salvors from Europe. In the Southeast Asia it’s believed that most of this illegal salvage is being accomplished by the Peoples Republic of China.
The salvage value of bronze propellors has to be huge.
Has anyone notified the British? It is their dead on Repulse and Prince of Wales.
It was literally international news. Yes the British have known about this for a while
they were alerted when Aussies discovered the perth had been looted. Australian govt contacted the UK P.M at the time David Cameron.
Well, then they should get their British butts in some boats and head over there.