According to a report in Independent, deep-sea survey experts have discovered a Japanese merchant ship that sank during World War II with 864 Australian soldiers on board. The SS Montevideo Maru, which was a covert prisoner-of-war transport ship, had been lost since being sunk off the coast of the Philippines in July 1942, but has now been found northwest of Luzon island. Defence Minister of Australia Richard Marles confirmed the discovery and stated, ‘The absence of a location of the Montevideo Maru has represented unfinished business for the families of those who lost their lives until now.’ The ship was torpedoed while travelling from Papua New Guinea to China’s Hainan by a US submarine, but it was not known that there were prisoners of war on board, making it Australia’s ‘worst maritime disaster’. The catastrophe claimed the lives of more than 1,000 men, including prisoners of war and civilians from various nations.
The hunt for the wreck was led by a marine archaeology not-for-profit and deep-sea survey specialists, with assistance from Australia’s Defence Department. The wreck was discovered at a depth of more than 13,123 feet. As per the outlet, the discovery coincides with Anzac Day observances on April 25, a significant day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand for their soldiers lost in all military conflicts. ‘This brings to an end one of the most tragic chapters in Australia’s maritime history,’ said Mr Marles.
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