A SHIP which sent an iceberg warning to the RMS Titanic hours before the ocean-liner sank has been found on the seabed by a team from Bournemouth and Bangor Universities.

In 1912, merchant steamship SS Mesaba was crossing the Atlantic and sent a warning radio message to the RMS Titanic regarding icebergs in the vicinity.

Its message to Titanic said: “Saw much heavy pack ice and great number large icebergs. Also field ice.”

The message was received by Titanic’s senior wireless operator Jack Phillips, but never reached the bridge. It is believed this is because Phillips had been exceptionally busy clearing a backlog of previous messages caused by a wireless breakdown.

Bournemouth Echo: The SS Mesaba. Picture: State Library of QueenslandThe SS Mesaba. Picture: State Library of Queensland (Image: State Library of Queensland)

Later that night, the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage. More than 1,500 people died, including Jack Phillips.

The SS Mesaba continued as a merchant ship over the next six years before being torpedoed whilst in convoy in 1918 from Liverpool to Philadelphia. Twenty people died, including the ship's commander.

Using multibeam sonar technology, research teams from Bournemouth and Bangor Universities were finally able to identify the wreck and reveal her position for the first time.

The SS Mesaba was among 273 shipwrecks lying in 7,500 square miles of the Irish Sea, which were scanned and cross-referenced against the UK Hydrographic Office’s database of wrecks and other sources.

They include trawlers, cargo vessels, submarines, large ocean liners and tankers, as wells as rare ship designs and naval graves.

Bournemouth Echo: Multi sonar image of the SS Mesaba wreck in the Irish Sea. Picture: Bangor UniversityMulti sonar image of the SS Mesaba wreck in the Irish Sea. Picture: Bangor University (Image: Bangor University)

Details of all the wrecks have been published in a new book, Echoes from the Deep, by Dr Innes McCartney who worked on the project while at Bournemouth University.

Dr McCartney said: “The results of the work described in the book has validated the multidisciplinary technique employed and it is a ‘game-changer’ for marine archaeology.

“Previously we would be able to dive to a few sites a year to visually identify wrecks. The Prince Madog’s unique sonar capabilities has enabled us to develop a relatively low-cost means of examining the wrecks. We can connect this back to the historical information without costly physical interaction with each site.

“It should be of key interest to marine scientists, environmental agencies, hydrographers, heritage managers, maritime archaeologists, and historians.”