krnicadive.com

Ludovico De Filippi born in Turin was the last captain of Cesare Rossarol, Italian light explorer sunk on the underwater mine in front of Liznjan in Kvarner bay. He was awarded with the Cross of Knight of the Crown of Italy for attractive serenity of spirit to encourage his crew while the ship was sinking. “He was a wonderful example of sublime sacrifice when he gave his lifebelt to a sailor who wasn't able to swim and in this generous action he lost the life."

Giovanni Pizzini was one of the best Italian pilots thru Austro-Hungarian minefields lying around Pula harbor. Pizzini successfully leed the ship from Pula south to Cape Kamenjak and then on the way to Rijeka harbor. Just in front of Liznjan, a small village on eastern Istrian coast, unfortunately, Rossarol hit an underwater mine.

Cesare Rossarol was a Poerio class light explorer build in Sestri Ponente, Genoa. It entered the service in 1915. Main duty was scouting, escorting destroyers, fighting other smaller ships and airplanes and patrolling high and low Adriatic Sea. Extremely fast, was very efficient in combat. At the end of WWI Cesare Rossarol was participating in the occupation of Istrian and Dalmatian coast by Italian troops. After the proclamation of the armistice on 4th of November 1918 Rossarol was in Pula.

16th of November 1918 Rossarol was on the way to Rijeka. It was lunchtime, just around noon. The boat hit a mine a mile from the coast. Explosion scrapes it in two parts. Ship sunk rapidly, in a few minutes. Unfortunately, 98 men died.

The bow part of the ship is separated from the stern and turn upside down. Some munitions can be seen on the bottom around the wreck. The stern part is lying in sailing position, slightly inclined on the left side. Maximum depth is 49 meters. Stern wheel, telegraph, and canons are still in position. Visibility can be either very god or quite poor. Mainly depends on the deep-sea currents. Frequently we can see a lot of fish around the wreck. Especially Congers and Scorpionfish.

Some years after the tragedy an unknown person raised a monument oncapeMunatVeliki in memory of died officers and sailors.

Bibliography:

www.gravitazero.org

www.marina.difesa.it

WDSTrieste

More info about R.N. Cesare Rossarol you can find on www.rossarol.krnica.com

Video by GUE Italy

Video by Luca Palezza during GUE Project Rossarol 2016

Video by Alex R. Thomassen and Edward Smith during GUE Project rossarol 2014