Montevideo Maru in 1941. Photo: WikiCommons
The wreck of the Japanese freighter, Montevideo Maru, which was sunk during World War II by a US submarine and claimed the lives of nearly a thousand Australians, has been found off the coast of the Philippines.
The ship was located at a depth of more than 4000 metres, nearly 81 years after it was sunk by a torpedo from the USS Sturgeon, by Australia's Silentworld Foundation with the help of the Dutch deep-sea survey company Fugro.
The Montevideo Maru was carrying prisoners of war and civilians who had been captured in the fall of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea in February 1942.
The search began on April 6 in the South China Sea, 110km north-west of the island of Luzon. After just 12 days, a positive sighting was recorded using state-of-the-art technology, including an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with in-built sonar.
It took a number of days to verify the wreck using expert analysis from the project team, comprising maritime archaeologists, conservators, operations and research specialists, and ex-naval officers.
It has taken nearly five years of planning by Silentworld and 20 years of dedication from the Montevideo Maru Society to assemble the expedition team, led by Australian maritime history philanthropist and explorer John Mullen, the director of Silentworld.
"The discovery of the Montevideo Maru closes a terrible chapter in international military and maritime history," Mullen said.
"Families waited years for news of their missing loved ones, before learning of the tragic outcome of the sinking.
"Some never fully came to accept that their loved ones were among the victims. Today, by finding the vessel, we hope to bring closure to the many families devastated by this terrible disaster."
About 1060 prisoners, both military and civilian, were lost, with an estimated 979 Australians perishing in the disaster.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that "at long last, the resting place of the lost souls of the Montevideo Maru has been found".
"We hope today's news brings a measure of comfort to loved ones who have kept a long vigil."
The tragedy impacted several more countries, including Solomon Islands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Finland, Holland, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United States.
The Silentworld Foundation team involved in finding the wreck. Photo: Silentworld Foundation / Karen Eck
- ABC and BBC