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THE conflict graves of 840 Royal Navy sailors have been desecrated by Chinese language scavengers.
A scrap steel barge illegally dragged up items of wreckage from sunken World War Two ships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse.
The vessels have been struck by Japanese torpedo bombers off the coast of Malaysia two days after the assault on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The wrecks are designated British conflict grave websites and are purported to be protected.
Photographs obtained by The Solar present the massive dredger Chuan Hong 68 within the space.
She sails below a Chinese flag and was beforehand linked to unlawful salvage operations.
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The vessel, with a large crane, was noticed by fishermen who tried to confront it however have been chased off by scrappers a speedboat.
Diver Hazz Zain, who helps to guard the wrecks, mentioned: “The barge was being circled by a small boat.
“I alerted the enforcement companies.”
Malaysian heritage authorities and native police vowed to probe the intrusion.
A scrapyard the place some steel has been offloaded has been raided by cops in Johor.
Photos from the yard seem to indicate an anchor, a naval gun and huge quantities of unexploded ammunition.
Former Sea Lord Admiral Lord West beforehand moved to attempt to shield the wrecks — ordering the salvage of Wales’ bell after it was focused by scavengers.
He informed The Solar: “They’re conflict graves — in our waters we glance after them, however in another person’s waters they must take care of them.
“It’s extraordinarily worrying — the Malaysians mentioned they might take care of them.
“I’ve had letters from relations of these misplaced on the ships.
“To assume somebody is ripping up the steel the place our bodies lay, it has a huge effect on the following of kin.”
Police chief Datuk Kamarul mentioned: “An investigation has began.
“British authorities have been knowledgeable.”
The Ministry of Defence mentioned: “We strongly condemn any desecration of any maritime army grave.”
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Battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse have been a part of Pressure Z – making an attempt to intercept the Japanese who have been making ready to invade the then colony of Malaya (now Malaysia).
Winston Churchill referred to as information of the double sinking probably the most “direct shock” he had in all of World Struggle Two.
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