First artifacts recovered from Titanic sister ship Britannic, which sank in 1916

For the first time ever, divers recovered artifacts from the HMS Titanic’s sister ship nearly a century after it was lost during World War I.

The ship, called the Britannic, sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greece in 1916. Though designed in 1914 as a luxury cruise liner, it functioned as a hospital ship during the Great War.

The vessel sank Nov. 21, 1916, after hitting a mine near the island of Kea, around 45 miles southeast of Athens.

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On board at the time were 1,060 people. Most survived the sinking, though 30 people died after their lifeboats were struck by the ship’s rotating propellers.

In a Sept. 16 statement, the Culture Ministry in Greece said an 11-person diving team conducted an operation to recover artifacts from the ship. 

Divers recovered artifacts from the Britannic, the Titanic’s sister ship, more than a century after its sinking in 1916. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

The week-long dive was conducted in May but was unknown to the public until now.

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Pictures show divers shining lights inside the wreckage of the ship, which was encrusted with algae and thick marine growth.

The Britannic, seen at left, was originally built in 1914 as a cruise liner but was converted for wartime service. (Topical Press Agency/Getty Images; Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

The wreck lies nearly 400 feet deep in low-visibility water and yielded some fascinating treasures.

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“Among the recovered items of particular interest are the ship’s lookout bell [and] the port-side navigation lamp,” the ministry said in a Facebook post translated from Greek to English.

Pictures show divers illuminating areas of the Britannic wreck, covered with algae and marine growth. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

Some artifacts also shed some light on the ship’s luxurious design, such as silver-plated first-class trays and tiles from a Turkish bath. 

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“Ceramic tiles from the decoration of the Turkish bath were [also] found detached, [along with] a pair of binoculars,” the statement added.

Greek officials said the recovered relics will undergo conservation. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

Officials added that the artifacts will be moved to a museum when the conservation process concludes.

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“The artifacts will be included in the permanent exhibition of the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities, now under construction in Piraeus, in the section dedicated to World War I, where the wreck of the Britannic will be a highlight,” the statement concluded.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.