On March 19th, 2010, we embarked on an unforgettable diving adventure off the coast of Mount Lavinia, Colombo, to explore one of Sri Lanka’s most enigmatic shipwrecks—the Taprobane North Wreck. Located 20 kilometers directly west of the coast, we journeyed into deep, untamed waters, where the sea’s ominous swells threatened to deter us. But beneath the waves, we would soon discover a world far friendlier than we had imagined.
The visibility underwater was stunning clear, blue waters stretching endlessly. As we descended into the warm, tropical waters of Taprobane, we were welcomed by a massive, looming shipwreck, seemingly rising from the sand. At a depth of 35 meters, we touched down on what appeared to be the amidships, with the seabed stretching even further beneath us. The shipwreck lay in front of us, partially obscured by sand and time, giving the wreck a mysterious, mythical quality.
At first glance, the wreck resembled something out of a dark fantasy. Its massive shape—resembling the wings of a gigantic, sunken aircraft—triggered a moment of uncertainty. But quickly, we realized we had encountered not a fantastical beast, but an enormous ship, possibly the remains of the Perseus (1917).
The decision was simple: swim left toward the massive wreckage. As we moved forward, the shipwreck began to reveal its secrets. The stern loomed ahead, rising from the ocean floor like a gigantic mountain, its twisted, contorted metal stretching high into the water. The current was mild, but as we swam through the wreck’s open cavities, it became stronger, forcing us to swim harder.
Swimming through the stern, we gazed in awe at the towering structure. At that moment, the visibility was perfect—every detail of the ship was clearly visible. From the propeller to the keel, we saw how the ship had once been a colossal vessel, now slowly succumbing to the weight of time and the ocean’s embrace. The corals covering the remaining propeller blades were vibrant, a testament to the power of nature reclaiming the shipwreck.
As we swam over the ship’s hull, a large shoal of Yellow Striped Snappers appeared, adding life to the otherwise eerie, sunken ship. With our limited bottom time, we were unable to reach the bow, leaving it shrouded in mystery for now. Yet, we knew that this was only the beginning. The Taprobane North Wreck, with its intriguing history and mysteries, beckoned for more dives.
Could this be the famous Perseus (1917) wreck, lost to time and the deep? Only future expeditions could provide the answers.
A year later, on March 13th, 2011, I returned to the Taprobane North Wreck—this time with a singular focus: to explore the bow of the ship, which had eluded us during the first expedition. Dropping anchor amidships once again, I set off alone, turning right toward the bow, an area we had not yet explored.
The fish life was as prolific as ever. A massive shoal of snappers encircled the wreck like a protective, pulsating cocoon. As I fought the gentle current, I encountered a wide range of marine life—trevally, a Napoleon wrasse, and even a stingray that glided down to the sandy seabed. The vastness of the wreck continued to astound me. Large cracks and crevices had opened in areas where the hull had collapsed, adding to the ship’s age and decay. This ship must be incredibly old.
A local fisherman had once told me that the wreck had been there since he started fishing in the late 60s. However, research into historical records had failed to provide any conclusive evidence about the ship's identity. Could this be the Perseus, the ship that sank 10 miles west of Colombo in 1917? Or was it another wreck, long forgotten by time?
Despite the unanswered questions, one thing was certain: the Taprobane North Wreck was a truly remarkable and beautiful site, a hidden treasure beneath the ocean's depths.
Despite the challenges of the deep, the visibility was excellent, and these dives provided critical insights that would aid in further research into the wreck's identity.
With the SS Worcestershire now eliminated from our theories, we could finally focus our efforts on proving that this ship was indeed the Perseus. As we explored the vast wreck, the evidence we gathered reinforced the possibility that this could be the famous vessel that sank in 1917, further fueling our determination to uncover the truth.
On March 9th, 2019, after countless dives and years of research, an unexpected discovery at the Taprobane North Wreck brought us closer to solving the mystery. While diving the wreck on a CCR (Closed Circuit Rebreather), I ventured into a seldom-visited area near the forward ship, south of the foremast, and made a startling find buried in the sand.
This discovery, along with a previous find in 2014—the bell of the SS Worcestershire—has now conclusively confirmed the locations of both the Worcestershire and the Perseus, which were sunk just days apart in February 1917 by the German commerce raider SMS Wolf. The find has been handed over to the Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) in Galle, who have already been informed of the discovery.
As the mystery unraveled over the years, the evidence now strongly supports the theory that the Taprobane North Wreck is indeed the Perseus, lost to the deep waters over a century ago.
