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EXPEDITION SCYLLIAS : CHASSEURS D'EPAVES !

MESSER gets wet !

Messer logo The name MESSER has been associated with expertise in industrial gases for more than 100 years. MESSER Group manufacture and supply oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, inert welding gases, special gases, gases for medicinal use and a wide variety of gas mixtures. From acetylene to xenon, the MESSER Group has one of the most diverse product portfolios on the market – it produces industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, shielding gases for welding, specialty gases, medical gases and many different gas mixtures.




On the road of subchasers

The team aboard Moana In 2012, MESSER Group becomes a preferential partner of l'Expédition Scyllias for deep dives on a WWII wrecks site off île de Groix. These ships, laying far from coast by 85m to 95m deep, are difficult to access but their historic interest is big. The divers of l’Expedition Scyllias have already made several investigations on two of them.
After researches, it turns out that these wrecks, up to here unknowns, could indeed be the former German submarine chasers UJ 1420 (ex. Eylau) and UJ 1421 (ex. Hela) who were poured on July 15th, 1944 during the escort of a cargoship (also sunk) by three allied destroyers. A violent naval battle took place between both units of Kriegsmarine, belonging to the 14th flotilla of submarine chasers based to Lorient, and the HMCS Haida, HMS Tartar and ORP Blyskawica. The German boats were sent by the bottom after an almighty fight.



From left to right : Patrick Le Cossois, Jean-Louis Maurette and Vincent Gautron (photo : Alain Le Garro).



New dive, new meeting

On May 16th, a binomial consisted of Vincent Gautron and Jean-Louis Maurette dived again in the discovery of these mesmerizing vestiges. Gases were naturally provided by MESSER whereas Aquasport brought its technical support and whereas the security was ensured by Alain Le Garro and Patrick Le Cossois, major personality of the dive in Lorient who came aboard his support-ship, Moana, and gave its maritime knowledge.
Every diver brought a trimix 17/40 for the bottom and an EAN 40 for the deco stops from -30m, the pure oxygen being used for deco stops at -6m and -3m. The depth was of -89m.

Vincent Gautron and Jean-Louis Maurette are ready to dive Appropriate equipments for this deep dive










On the left : Vincent Gautron and Jean-Louis Maurette are ready to dive.
On the right : Appropriate equipments for this deep dive

The interest of partnerships

It is about a remarkable but completely ignored page of maritime history there, which took place in front of our coast and about which l’Expedition Scyllias wishes to rerelease from the forgetting. It is happy to see that a big industrial group known all over the world as MESSER gets involved actively beside this dynamics team in this sports and cultural activity that is the wreckdiving with, in purpose, the promotion of the immersed heritage and the expansion of the knowledge.

Vincent Gautron is diving Vincent Gautron is investigating Vincent Gautron at the deco-stop

A gauche : Vincent Gautron is diving in the... nothingness.
Au centre : After having fixed an Ariadne's clew on one of the wrecks, Vincent canvasses into this ghostly atmosphere.
A droite : Vincent at the deco stop.

Link to Messer France blog
EXPEDITION SCYLLIAS: WRECKHUNTERS!

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