A scuba diver says wreckage discovered off the Lincolnshire coast nine years ago belonged to a World War Two Sunderland flying boat. Kevin Smith, from Cleethorpes, said it was one of the aircraft that were used against German U-boats in the Atlantic. He said he was "baffled" as there were no records that one of the planes ever crashed in the North Sea. The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre said the find was "intriguing" but a mystery as to why the aircraft was there.

'Terrific activity'. The wreckage was found by the French Navy in 2005, about 27 miles (45 km) off the coast of Mablethorpe. Mr Smith, who has explored the submerged aircraft three times, had previously thought it was the remains of a Halifax bomber. However, over the summer he said he examined the wreckage and identified four Bristol Pegasus engines which were consistent with a MK1 Sunderland. Sunderland flying boats were stationed in the west at RAF Pembroke Dock and used in the Battle of the Atlantic. He said: "It's got us baffled. But I can't believe they [flying boats] didn't come down the North Sea looking for submarines.

1. The aircraft took off from RAF Pembroke Dock, the world's largest flying boat station.
2. The Sunderland aircraft were built to take off and land in water.
3. Kevin Smith said he had found Pegasus engines belonging to a Sunderland aircraft.