The minesweeper Coriolanus of the Trawler type belonged to the Shakespeare class of which 12 were built according to a programme from 1939. The Coriolanus was built in the shipyard of Amos & Smith in Cochrane, and was launched into the sea on 20th October 1940. It entered the Royal Navy’s fleet on 6th February 1941 when its prow received the marking T 140.
On 5th May 1945 the Coriolanus came across a mine whilst clearing minefields west of Novigrad (Croatia). The explosion which followed made a large hole in the hull of the ship high in the forward hold, whereupon which the ship very quickly sank.
The ship lies upright on a flat sandy bottom at a depth of 25 metres. The ship is in one piece and its hull is intact. The bow part is well-preserved and on its forecastle the anchor windlass and anchor chains, which are still in situ, can be seen. The upper deck is intact and on it are the remains of the bridge.
