Meet the search team

Rob White reports

Finally, meet the guys who get their feet wet. Not literally of course. Or at least not often.

David Mearns

Our Search Director DAVID MEARNS of Blue Water Recoveries is one of the most experienced undersea search professionals in the business. He's been planning this voyage for some 6 years now - delving into archives and working out all the strategies needed

He's also been making sure - with me - that we have the support of key organisations like the HMS 'Hood' Association, the Royal British Legion, the Royal Naval Association and the Ministry of Defence. They've all been very supportive - particularly of our determination to treat the 'Hood' wreck site with the respect it deserves.


And here's the team that David chose to go deepsea for him - a select group from Oceaneering Technologies of Maryland.

It's an all-American crew: on the right standing by the Magellan Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) are TROY LAUNAY, with team leader RON SCHMIDT, DAVID WARFORD and MIKE SCHICK. (The piratical look is the way you do it in deepsea search around here.)


Below, with the Ocean Explorer sidescan sonar are CHUCK HOHING, NEIL CORLISS, ANDY SHERRELL and RICHARD DAILEY. The teams are multi-skilled and can work both vehicles.

Their company and this kit have a distinguished history. To take a few examples, finding the wreck of the giant cargo ship 'Derbyshire', sunk with all hands and without trace in 1980; broadcasting live from the 'Titanic'site; and discovering the tiny 'Liberty Bell' space capsule in 1999. Many of these successes were achieved by the team with us today.


STOP PRESS: We've just put the sonar in the water to start the search for HMS 'Hood'. Wish us luck!