The Montevideo Maru, which sank in 1942 after being attacked by an American submarine, has been found in the depths of the South China Sea.
More than 1,060 people, including 979 Australians, were killed when the US submarine attacked the Japanese-flagged ship without knowing who was aboard. Japanese soldiers, prisoners of war and civilians from 14 countries were on board.
The Silentworld Foundation said in a statement on Saturday that a team, supported by Fugro, a deep water company, and the Australian Ministry of Defense, searched the bottom of the sea for more than two weeks until they found the wreck.
“The discovery of the Montevideo Maru closes a terrible chapter in Australia’s military and naval history”noted Silentworld director John Mullen.
The ship’s wreckage was found at a depth of more than 4,000 meters – greater than that of the Titanic – off the coast of the Philippines.
“We hope today’s news brings some comfort to loved ones who have been waiting for a long time,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded on social media, highlighting the “extraordinary effort behind” the discovery and “Australia’s pledge to always to remember and honor those who served the country.
Australian Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said in a statement that “these Australians have never been forgotten”.
“Lost in the depths of the seas, their final resting place is now known.”
Silentworld stressed that neither the ship’s wreck nor human remains or personal effects will be recovered “out of respect for all families of those on board”.
This incident alone killed twice as many Australian soldiers and civilians as in the entire Vietnam War, surpassing the sinking of the HMAS Sydney in 1941 with 645 killed and the hospital ship Centaur in 1943 with 268 killed.
Source: DN
