WWI Battleship Szent István's Bell Found in Adriatic Sea

A team of Hungarian divers has successfully located the bell of the Austro-Hungarian battleship Szent István, which was sunk by Italian torpedoes in 1918 during World War I. The significant discovery was made during an expedition to the wreck site in the Adriatic Sea, where the divers descended over 70 meters to explore the remarkably preserved vessel. The divers not only found the ship's bell but also ventured inside the battleship, documenting various artifacts that have remained untouched for over a century. Among the findings were overturned furniture, unused ammunition in the magazine, and a porcelain cup, which is believed to have belonged to an officer on board. "The ship is lying upside down, not as it floats on the sea," explained Miklós Tamás, the expedition leader. "We are more afraid that the ship will collapse and the 'treasures' inside, like porcelain plates and valuables, will be destroyed." Fellow research diver Farkas Zsolt recounted the delicate process of retrieving the cup: "It was stuck to some wood, and I had to carefully remove it without breaking it." The recovered cup has since been handed over to the Croatian Archaeological Museum, along with other artifacts brought to the surface in recent years. The bell, currently still at the bottom of the sea and overgrown with marine vegetation, has been marked with a yellow rope to facilitate its retrieval. The team attempted to move it to clean the mud and confirm it was made of bronze. Plans are already in motion for a subsequent dive in the summer of 2026, during which the divers intend to bring the bell to the surface, provided they receive the necessary permits. This ongoing effort promises to shed new light on the history of the Szent István and the final days of World War I naval warfare.