UK Edition
Prince Charles thanks British volunteers for saving war grave of HMS Prince of Wales from 'awful' looters
Since 1941 it has lain silently on the ocean floor, a solemn war grave marking a Second World War tragedy.
The wreck of the HMS Prince of Wales, which went down with 327 crew and the highest ranking Allied officer to be killed in action in the war, is being quietly protected for the Queen by volunteer British divers and the goodwill of the Malaysian Navy, it has emerged.
The Prince of Wales has delivered his personal thanks to volunteers who have helped to protect the wreck from "awful" looters, who aim to strip the ship of scrap metal owned by the Crown.
The Prince, who visited the air base at Butterworth in Pengang, Malaysia, said their work in preventing the ship being damaged was “marvellous” and “so appreciated”.
He is the first member of the Royal Family to thank Malaysian servicemen for their efforts, delivering a signed photograph of HMS Prince of Wales in 1941 with its crew to them as a gift.
The Prince met Stephen Flew, a 54-year-old petroleum engineer originally from Swansea who has voluntarily dived the wreck for 18 years.
For the last six years, when the problem of looting has become serious, Mr Flew has monitored changes and activity in the ship to report to the British High Commission, who have in turn worked with the Malaysian Navy, Air Force and coastguard to patrol the seas.
The Prince, a diver and former president of the British Sub-Aqua Club, thanked volunteers and the military, telling them he appreciated their work “trying to keep these awful people away”.
“I can’t thank you enough for your fantastic work,” he said. “It’s so appreciated”.
Royal Navy battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse both sank off the east coast of Malaya, near Kuantan, Pahang, on December 10, 1941.
Part of Force Z, it was intended to intercept the Japanese invasion fleet but instead, with no air cover, were attacked in open water and sunk by long-range torpedo bombs.
Admiral Sir Tom Phillips went down with the ship, becoming he highest ranking Allied officer killed in battle in the Second World War and causing.
The two ships sank with 840 sailors, and now exist as war graves on the ocean floor.
In recent years, they have become a target for looters who anchor small boats above them and use homemade explosives to loosen and then steal their metal.
The Royal Navy wrecks are Crown property, and looked after by the Royal Malaysian Navy which cooperates with the British High Commission to protect them.
They are aided by divers from company Xtreme Divers, with volunteer Mr Flew meeting the Prince on Tuesday.
In 18 years of diving the wreck - looking but not touching to keep it safe - Mr Flew said he has paid particular attention to its state as the rise of unscrupulous looters threaten their existence.
"It's an amazing wreck," he said. "When you take people down to it, they are completely in awe of the magnificence of the ship and its history.
"It's one heck of an opportunity to meet Prince Charles in person, especially knowing he is a diver himself."
The Prince quizzed him on how the wreck is now, looking carefully at photographs and asking whether it was now covered in coral.
Proclaiming the work "quite remarkable", he was shown a map of where the ships lie off the coast.
He went on to shake hands with five members of the Malaysian military who work to protect the shipwrecks, asking them where and how they train.
He then presented Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmed Badaruddin, chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy, with a framed photograph of HMS Prince of Wales and its crew taken before it sank.
In September, the Prince launched a £3bn aircraft carrier also carrying his name, the first vessel to take to the seas as HMS Prince of Wales since the doomed Second World War ship.