Israel recovers wreck of Altalena ship sunk off Tel Aviv after 78 years

Israel announced on Monday the recovery of the wreck of the Altalena, a ship that was sunk off the coast of Tel Aviv in 1948, after it was found at a depth of 503 meters in the sea. The discovery concludes a years-long search that included secret operations.

Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said the ship's location was identified at 12:30 a.m., noting that its recovery comes 78 years after it was sunk during clashes in June 1948.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the discovery of the Altalena as a "historic day," emphasizing that reaching the wreck followed years of searching. He said the timing of the find carries a message for the Israeli public, adding that while disagreements and differing views may exist, a "war between brothers" is unacceptable.

The Altalena had sailed from France carrying weapons for the Irgun, a Zionist paramilitary organization that carried out attacks against British mandate authorities and local Palestinian residents as part of efforts to establish the state of Israel.

The ship arrived off the Israeli coast in June 1948, at a time when Israel was at war with neighboring Arab states just weeks after its declaration of independence. Then-Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion ordered forces to open fire on the ship and sink it, as part of efforts to assert state authority and prevent any rival paramilitary forces from challenging the Israeli army.

At the time, Menachem Begin was the leader of the Irgun and clashed with Ben-Gurion over the weapons shipment and its distribution. The dispute escalated into armed conflict, resulting in the deaths of 16 Irgun members and three Israeli soldiers.

During the confrontation, Begin called on his fighters to surrender to Israeli authorities. The clash ended with the sinking of the ship, but left a political legacy that persisted for years, deepening divisions between the factions represented by Ben-Gurion and Begin.