World News
Shipwreck of Altalena located off Israeli coast 78 years after sinking
The intact wreckage of the arms-smuggling ship sunk by early Israeli forces in 1948 was found at a depth of 1,650 feet.
The short version
- Israel's Heritage Ministry announced the discovery of the intact wreckage of the Altalena at a depth of 503 meters (1,650 feet) off the country's coast.
- The ship was carrying weapons for the Zionist militant group Irgun in June 1948 when Prime Minister David Ben Gurion ordered it sunk to prevent paramilitary rivals to the new nation's military.
- The 1948 incident resulted in the deaths of 16 Irgun fighters and three Israeli soldiers, cementing a historic political rift between Israel's founding left and right factions.
- Israeli authorities have not yet announced plans regarding the future or preservation of the underwater wreckage.
Key facts
- Israeli Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu announced on Monday that the Altalena wreckage was located intact at a depth of 503 meters west of Israel's coast.[CBS News]
- The Altalena was carrying weapons from France intended for the Irgun, a militant Zionist group that fought British rule and local Palestinian populations.[CBS News]
- In June 1948, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion ordered forces to open fire on the vessel off Tel Aviv to assert state control and suppress rival militias.[CBS News]
- The confrontation resulted in 19 total fatalities, including 16 Irgun members and three Israeli soldiers.[CBS News]
- Irgun leader Menachem Begin directed his forces to surrender to Israeli authorities to avoid a civil war during the conflict with neighboring Arab nations.[CBS News]
What remains uncertain
- It is currently unknown whether Israeli authorities intend to raise, restore, or leave the wreckage on the sea floor.[CBS News]