The ship christened “SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I” took part in several sea battles until it was allocated to France after World War I. It sank at the entry to Cattaro Bay on October 17, 1919 when it foundered during a storm. The fact that it lies exactly on the Montenegrin–Croatian border makes the exploration of the shipwreck more difficult, so that for several decades, the Hungarian specialists had not received permits for documenting its condition. It was the staff of Czakó Diver Ltd that took the first photos of the battle cruiser in 2007.

On May 25 the Hungarian divers are to visit the battle cruiser “Franz Joseph I” again. László Czakó, the leader of the expedition told us that this time they are allowed to swim into the ship to take photos and video footages but they cannot remove anything because Croatian laws give protection to artifacts older than 70 years.

They have such a small window of opportunity to explore the wreck that the only way for them to do a thorough and quick job is by requesting assistance from the divers of the Hungarian Defence Forces who are tasked with underwater security and observation, and carry out other missions to help the documentation process. In this way, by doing professional work they provide assistance with the detailed exploration of the sunken cruiser’s condition.

Brig.-Gen. Dr. Gábor Böröndi, the commander of the HDF 5th ‘Bocskai István’ Infantry Brigade told us that through this exploration the Hungarian soldiers can contribute to learning more about a small segment of Hungarian military history and our national past. At the end of the expedition, the divers will swim to the wreck carrying two flags emblazoned with the coats of arms of the HDF 5th ‘Bocskai István’ Infantry Brigade and the 24th ‘Bornemissza Gergely’ Reconnaissance Battalion, in order to pay tribute to the memory of the former Hungarian warship crews and military divers who had served aboard the cruiser Franz Joseph I.

Beyond the preservation of traditions, the expeditionary dive will serve training purposes as well. Thanks to its location, the wreck provides an ideal opportunity to do extra deep dives that couldn’t be executed in Hungary. The divers will be able to practice underwater reconnaissance and approach missions. Moreover, the poor visibility – the result of sea currents and the sediment that may be stirred up easily – offers unique conditions for the training, as the soldiers can learn how to deal with emergencies during the diving.

Source: kormany.hu