The poignant story of an RAF crew whose bomber plummeted into the sea off an Italian island nearly 80 years ago has been revealed for the first time.

It took a team of dogged historians and divers six years to piece together what happened to the aircraft, which has now been identified as a Martin Baltimore light attack bomber.

They relied on a mixture of British, Commonwealth and Italian military records as well as the recollection of locals, one of whom is still alive, who saw the aircraft fall from the sky.

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It was flying on a reconnaissance mission from its base in Malta on June 15, 1942, when it was forced to ditch into the sea, either after being hit by enemy fire or because it was suffering from engine trouble.

Read more: Telegraph