Archaeology: British World War II bomber recovered from open-cast mine

At the edge of the Hambach open-cast mine in the Rhenish lignite mining area, archaeologists have recovered the wreckage of a British military aircraft that crashed in 1943 during World War II. The remains were excavated at a depth of four meters near the edge of the bluff, said Tünde Kaszab-Olschewski, the archaeologist responsible for the Hambach open-cast mine at the Rhineland Regional Office for the Preservation of Archaeological Monuments. The region west of Cologne is actually primarily known for relics from Roman times.

The excavation team found mainly small debris from the engine and human remains, presumably from crew members. DNA analysis of the bones still needs to be done, the archaeologist said. "We want them to be buried." The British authorities have been informed. The site at the open-cast mine has already been leveled.

The seven-man crew of the Short Stirling, one of the largest British bombers of World War II , crashed and burned on the return flight from a mission in Remscheid near Kerpen-Manheim. Three soldiers were able to escape by parachute, while the remaining four are still missing.

The Rhine/Moselle Air War History Association had provided information about the crash site. The association aims to help shed light on the fates of pilots from the period 1939 to 1945.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:250818-930-924042/1