ID: 486 Name: Myrtle
Inserted: 08.10.2011 Monument: 22265
Country of origin: England
Date: 20th century Construction Year: 1915
Sinking time: 15.07.1919 Propulsion: steamship
Address: Territorial sea, Läänemeri
Found: Yes Purpose: warship
Vessel type: minesweeper Coordinates: 58:35.349N 21:46.161E
Open map: Open map
History: The Azalea-Class minesweeper Myrtle was built in England in 1915. The ship arrived to Estonia during the days of the War of Independence as part of the British squadron. The ship was sweeping the German mine barriers from the sea routes.
Story of Sinking: The Azalea-Class minesweeper Myrtle was lost during the days of the War of Independence on a German minefield near Harilaiu on 15 July 1919. The ship was severely damaged in the course of several mine explosions. There were casualties.
Object Data: Length 76,2 m, width 10.1 m, displacement 1210 tons.
Maerial: shipbuilding steel
Description of Location: near Undva peninsula (Saaremaa), at a depth of 34 meters.
Resource Links & Literature: Mäss, V. 2006. Laevahukulood. Tallinn. Õun, M., Walter, H. & Sammalsoo, P. Võitlused Läänemerel 1918–1919. Tallinn.
Discovery Date: 1934
Discoverer: The wreck of minesweeper Myrtle was first found by the fishermen of Saaremaa in 1934, but the location was soon forgotten. The wreck was found for the second time by the Russian hydrographic vessel GS-214 "Girokompas" in 1990. On 2 July 1999, the wreck was located in the course of fieldwork conducted by the Estonian Maritime Museum.