Sydney – A team of searchers announces that it has found a sunken Japanese ship that was carrying Allied prisoners of war when it was torpedoed off the coast of the Philippines in 1942, resulting in a total of 1,080 lives. It was Australia’s largest sea battle loss of life.
The wreckage of the Montevideo Maru was located at a depth of more than 4,000 m (13,120 ft) after a 12-day search – deeper than the Titanic – on the island of Luzon in the South China Sea, using an autonomous underwater vehicle with built-in sonar By doing
The Sydney-based Silentworld Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to maritime archeology and history, said in a statement on Saturday that out of respect for the families of those killed, no effort would be made to remove the artifacts or human remains. It participated in the mission along with Dutch deep sea survey experts Fugro and Australia’s Department of Defence.
“The extraordinary effort behind this discovery speaks to the enduring truth of Australia’s solemn national promise to always remember and honor those who serve our country,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “It’s the heart and soul of Lest We Forget.”
The Montevideo Maru was carrying prisoners and civilians captured after the fall of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
The ship was not marked as carrying POWs, and on July 1, 1942, the American submarine Sturgeon, after chasing the ship throughout the night, fired four torpedoes that hit their target, sinking the ship in less than 10 minutes. drowned in time.
#Breaking The wreckage of Australia’s greatest maritime disaster is found when the WWII ship Montevideo Maru sank off the Philippines in 1942, with the loss of approximately 1060 prisoners, both military and civilian. At least 850 Australian service members and 210 nationals from 14 countries were on board. pic.twitter.com/ZvabYHCVH1
— Andrew Green (@AndrewBGreene) April 21, 2023
Those killed include 1,080 people from 14 countries, including 979 Australians.
Silentworld director John Mullen said, “Families waited years for news of their loved ones missing before learning of the tragic outcome of the drowning.” “Some could not fully accept that their loved ones were among the victims. By finding the ship today, we hope to bring closer to the many families devastated by this terrible disaster.
