The sailors aboard HMS Tiger had only moments to react when their destroyer crossed the path of the much larger HMS Berwick during nighttime naval exercises. Neither ship had enough time to steer away, and the cruiser struck Tiger around its midpoint, breaking it into two sections.
The bow disappeared almost immediately, carrying the captain and many crew members down with it. The stern remained at the surface for roughly three minutes before it followed. Fewer than half of the 57 people aboard survived.
The loss drew public attention in 1908. Newspapers placed the disaster on their front pages, King Edward VII sent a telegram of sympathy, and commemorative postcards honored the crew.
Now, 118 years after the disaster, divers and maritime historians from ProjectXplore have found the remains of HMS Tiger off England’s Isle of Wight, according to a Royal Navy release.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to research, discover and document the wreck of HMS Tiger. We sincerely hope that our work will ensure that HMS Tiger, her story and the memory of those connected with her endure for future generations,” ProjectXplore co-organizers Leo Fielding and Dan McMullen said in the release.
Divers Find the HMS Tiger Wreck Off the Isle of Wight
The Royal Navy and shipwreck hunters had looked for HMS Tiger since it sank in 1908, but the destroyer’s location remained unknown. ProjectXplore spent five years studying archival records and assembling the information needed to narrow the search area.
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Single Whitehead torpedo tube located on the bow section of the wreck of HMS Tiger.
(Image Courtesy of Dr Steffen G Scholz)
The team has previously uncovered another long-lost Royal Navy vessel. In 2025, ProjectXplore found the wreck of the cruiser HMS Nottingham in the North Sea.
Read More: Fisherman Finds 2,000-Year-Old Roman Shipwreck Packed With Hundreds of Amphorae
Protecting Military Graves Beneath the Water
HMS Tiger’s discovery comes as the British government considers changes to how military wrecks receive legal protection. Because the destroyer sank less than 200 years ago, it can be designated as a protected place under the existing Protection of Military Remains Act. However, that protection is not currently automatic.
Proposed changes in the Armed Forces Bill would automatically protect British military vessels from the time their wrecks are found. Disturbing a site or removing objects without permission would become an offense, although divers could continue visiting if they followed a “look but don’t touch” approach.
The amendments would also remove the current 200-year limit, extending protection to much older military wrecks, including vessels dating to the Spanish Armada and ships once operated by Britain’s enemies. Merchant ships lost while serving under Admiralty orders could also qualify.
Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones said the protections would help preserve Britain’s maritime heritage while giving lost sailors the dignity and respect they deserve.
ProjectXplore welcomed the proposed amendments, describing them as a step toward preserving historically and archaeologically important wrecks. Lieutenant Commander Jen Smith, the Royal Navy’s deputy fleet wreck officer, also emphasized that protection would not prevent divers from witnessing maritime history firsthand.
“All we ask of divers is this — enjoy looking, learning and paying your respects at these incredible sites, but do so in a manner that does not disturb them,” she concluded in the press release.
Read More: 400 Gold Coins Recovered From 17th-Century Shipwreck Shed Light on Dutch Trading History
Article Sources
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- This article references information from the Royal Navy: Wreck of tragic Tiger found in Channel after 118 years as Government strengthens historic shipwreck protection
