A PLAN is being finalised to raise the first of 116 German U boats scuttled more than 50 years ago off the north west coast of Ireland.
British company Masters Marine Salvage has been granted salvage rights to the submarine graveyard.
Cdr Mark MacIntyre, managing director of MMS, said in Dublin yesterday that work should start off Co Donegal in mid May in what would be the biggest salvage operation of its kind in the world.
Last year, MMS only managed to survey the dive sites which stretch for about 150 miles northwest of Malin Head. The vessels lie at depths of 50-200 metres.
"We had a commercial structure hiccup last year which delayed pressing the start up button. We now hope to proceed at the start of the lifting season which is probably mid May and to lift as many as we can. We are not putting a target number on it. We are right in the middle of negotiations at the moment," Cdr MacIntyre said.
Cdr MacIntyre, who retired from the British navy six years ago, said that ideally the first U boat up would be a "prize catch".
"If we could get the first one up and the first one was a nice famous prize catch in good nick, that would be a dream. In those waters, however, one can't be too choosy."
The British Irish Interparliamentary Body has sought safety guarantees from the salvors. A sub committee report said there was no evidence that raising the U boats would be a danger to the public. The company's team will largely be ex British navy divers and they will try to reverse the work of colleagues who scuttled the U boats 52 years ago.
They estimate the hulks will each contain recoverable metals. There is also a plan to preserve some of the most famous submarines for museums. About 100, may be salvageable and the work may take up to eight years.