What happens to bodies when a submarine/ship is sunk?

Question

I saw a program recently a German U-boat that was torpedoed in 1945 off of Norway. It was carrying mercury and engine parts to Japan in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of a lost war. I recognize this is considered a grave site. But what these kinds of shows never answer — and don't even pose — is the obvious one, what happens to bodies that go down when a ship or sub sinks after many years? Are skeletal remains all that is left? Or more? Could identification be possible after passage of 60 years? Thanks.

Answer 1

This article has the answer to most of your questions
--> http://www.freewebs.com/graham7760/maritimehumanremains.htm

The analysis of DNA from human bones was successful in the case of short postmortem times (up to 2 months), even if the material had been stored in sea water. However, the isolation of DNA from war victims killed four years earlier presented serious difficulties.
--> http://www.cmj.hr/1996/37/3/13.htm

You may be able to identify individuals in the army by dog tags or other identifiable items they had in their possession.

Answer 2

The human bodies that actually went to the bottom with the Titanic were introduced to a hostile atmosphere. The ship is laying at a depth of two miles. Remember pressure is per square inch. This means it is Not like being crushed under a ton of steel. Pressure at that depth is Not from one direction only. The pressure is at every point of the body, over, under, sides, everywhere. During the decent if water can seep into body cavities fast enough it will more or less equalize things and the body will be mostly intact when it arrives at the bottom. If water can not equalize fast enough in to cavities it will cause implosion and disfigurement. Remember our entire cellular structure is made to live in an atmosphere of 14.7 pounds per square inch. When a cellular mass is immersed in to an atmosphere of several thousand tons per square inch, such the environment two miles beneath the sea, it would be similar to putting a "bone in" pot roast into a pressure cooker. It softens everything to a point where water current movement will dissipate the softened tissue and bone in to nothing. Sea microbes will take care of the rest.

Answer 3

I've got a few photos of bodies from Japanese shipwrecks in Truk Lagoon. Those date from the same timeframe as the Norway wreck. Water temperature makes a big difference on how fast the body decomposes or is digested by sea critters. But, eventually, you just end up with the bones.

In Truk/Chuuk, the Japanese paid the Chuukese to get the bones from the shipwrecks so they could be buried. So, to see bones, you either have to dive really deep (say, 150 feet or more) or dive with someone who has hidden a few skulls for showing tourists.

Answer 4

Assuming there isn't a massive explosion that would dismember them, yes the bodies would go down with the ship and be entombed in it. Sea life and microbes would eventually disintegrate the bodies.

Answer 5

The body fills with water and then sometimes a fish or other sea creature eats the body...or they sink and decompose but at a much slower rate

Answer 6

The flesh would be eaten by bacteria and carrion feeders. The bones would probably survive for a while, maybe a few hundred years, and you could extract DNA from it to identify the remains.

Answer 7

Most of the time a guy named "Pete" is hired to go and get the bodies. He is pretty good at it!
Hope this helps!

Answer 8

most of the time, the victims are entombed in the ship

Answer 9

***** you should know that