Keith Jessop
Encyclopedia
Keith Jessop was a British salvage diver
and successful marine
treasure hunter
.
as the son of a penniless Yorkshire
mill-worker, he left school without a single qualification, but to make ends meet he started salvaging scrap metal from shallow water wrecks off the coast of Scotland, using the inner tube of a tractor tyre covered in wire mesh as a vessel. Jessop learned to deep dive
during further risky recoveries in treacherous waters.
With advances in technology, which allowed longer and deeper dives
than ever could be imagined before, his dream of becoming a deep-sea salvager became a reality. Jessop became professionally trained in deep-sea diving and over several decades Jessop had unearthed hundreds of wrecks around the world making several million pounds from his discoveries.
It was not, however, until 1981 that Jessop was involved in one of the greatest deep sea salvage operations in history. One day in April 1981 Jessop's survey ship called the Damtor began searching for the wreck of the HMS Edinburgh
in the Barents Sea
in the Arctic Ocean
of the coast of Russia
. The ship had been sunk in battle in 1942 during World War II
while carrying payment for military equipment from Murmansk
in Russia
to Scotland
. His company, called Jessop Marine, won the contract for the salvage rights to the wreck of the Edinburgh because his methods, involving complex cutting machinery and divers, were deemed more appropriate for a war grave, compared to the explosives-oriented methods of other companies.
In late April 1981, the survey ship discovered the ship's final resting place at an approximate position of 72.00°N, 35.00°E, at a depth of 245 metres (803.8 ft) within ten days of the start of the operation. Using specialist camera equipment, the Dammtor took detailed film of the wreck, which allowed Jessop and his divers to carefully plan the salvage operation.
Later that year, on 30 August, the dive-support vessel Stephaniturm journeyed to the site, and salvage operations began in earnest. Leading the operation undersea, by mid-September of that year Jessop was able to salvage from the wreck over $100,000,000 in Russian gold bullion—431 bars out of 465—making him the greatest underwater treasurer in history.
His autobiography Goldfinder
written in 2001 tells the extraordinary story of Jessop's life and the salvage of such underwater treasures as the HMS Edinburgh.
Jessop's son, Graham
is also a successful deep sea salvage diver having opened his own business.
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
and successful marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
treasure hunter
Treasure hunter
Treasure hunters are people who search for treasure.Treasure hunters may also refer to:* Treasure Hunters , a graphic novel* Treasure Hunters , a Hong Kong kung fu film...
.
Early life
Born in KeighleyKeighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
as the son of a penniless Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
mill-worker, he left school without a single qualification, but to make ends meet he started salvaging scrap metal from shallow water wrecks off the coast of Scotland, using the inner tube of a tractor tyre covered in wire mesh as a vessel. Jessop learned to deep dive
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
during further risky recoveries in treacherous waters.
With advances in technology, which allowed longer and deeper dives
Deep diving
The meaning of the term deep diving is a form of technical diving. It is defined by the level of the diver's diver training, diving equipment, breathing gas, and surface support:...
than ever could be imagined before, his dream of becoming a deep-sea salvager became a reality. Jessop became professionally trained in deep-sea diving and over several decades Jessop had unearthed hundreds of wrecks around the world making several million pounds from his discoveries.
Salvage operations
HMS Edinburgh (C16)
HMS Edinburgh was a Town-class light cruiser of the British Royal Navy, which served during World War II. She was one of the last two "Town"-class, which formed the Edinburgh sub-class...
in the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
in the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
of the coast of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The ship had been sunk in battle in 1942 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
while carrying payment for military equipment from Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His company, called Jessop Marine, won the contract for the salvage rights to the wreck of the Edinburgh because his methods, involving complex cutting machinery and divers, were deemed more appropriate for a war grave, compared to the explosives-oriented methods of other companies.
In late April 1981, the survey ship discovered the ship's final resting place at an approximate position of 72.00°N, 35.00°E, at a depth of 245 metres (803.8 ft) within ten days of the start of the operation. Using specialist camera equipment, the Dammtor took detailed film of the wreck, which allowed Jessop and his divers to carefully plan the salvage operation.
Later that year, on 30 August, the dive-support vessel Stephaniturm journeyed to the site, and salvage operations began in earnest. Leading the operation undersea, by mid-September of that year Jessop was able to salvage from the wreck over $100,000,000 in Russian gold bullion—431 bars out of 465—making him the greatest underwater treasurer in history.
His autobiography Goldfinder
Goldfinder
Goldfinder is a 2001 autobiography of British diver and treasure hunter Keith Jessop. It tells the extraordinary story of Keith's life and salvaging such underwater treasures as the HMS Edinburgh , one of the greatest deep sea salvage operations and most financially rewarding in history.One day in...
written in 2001 tells the extraordinary story of Jessop's life and the salvage of such underwater treasures as the HMS Edinburgh.
Jessop's son, Graham
Graham Jessop
Graham Jessop is a British deep sea diver, and marine archaeologist who has taken part in a number of important expeditions such as the 1999 discovery of the remains of the RMS Carpathia off the coast of Ireland...
is also a successful deep sea salvage diver having opened his own business.