SM UB-33

SM UB-33 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 5 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 April 1916 as SM UB-33. The submarine sank thirteen ships, damaged two others, and took a further three as prizes in seventeen patrols.

UB-33 was mined and sunk around the Varne Bank on 11 April 1918. The wreck of UB-33 lies 77 ft below the surface of the water. The amount of clearance between the submarine and ships' keels passing directly overhead is very small, making it a risk for the heavy cross-channel ship traffic in the area. In 2007 efforts began to lift and move the wreck to deeper waters to ensure safety for passing ships. The wreck is officially classified as a war grave and therefore it cannot be deliberately destroyed.