British explorers have solved a century-old naval mystery by locating the wreck of the USS Tampa, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter that vanished in 1918 with 131 people aboard during World War I. The vessel represented the largest single American naval combat loss of life in the war, creating an enduring mystery that captivated historians and families affected by the tragedy.

After a three-year search, the Gasperados Dive Team discovered the Tampa's final resting place 320 feet deep in the Celtic Sea off Cornwall. The team pieced together historical records, wartime messages, and German U-boat logs to pinpoint the exact location where a German submarine torpedo had sunk the vessel on September 26, 1918.

The discovery provides closure for families who lost relatives aboard the Tampa and allows the Coast Guard to formally designate the site as an official war grave. Artifacts recovered from the wreck, including a brass fire extinguisher and inscribed crockery bearing "New Jersey," serve as tangible connections to the crew members who lost their lives protecting merchant ships from German submarines during World War I.