Sunken Japanese Ship Carrying Allied POWs Found Off the Coast of the Philippines

A remarkable discovery has been made by a team of explorers who found a sunken Japanese ship off the coast of the Philippines in 1942. The Montevideo Maru ship was transporting Allied prisoners of war when it was torpedoed, resulting in Australia’s largest maritime wartime loss of 1,080 lives. The remarkable discovery was made after a 12-day search at a depth of over 4,000 meters using an autonomous underwater vehicle. The ship was located off Luzon island in the South China Sea, at a depth deeper than the Titanic. No efforts will be made to remove any artifacts or human remains out of respect for the families of those who died. The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said this discovery speaks for the enduring truth of Australia’s solemn national promise to always remember and honor those who served their country. The Montevideo Maru was transporting prisoners and civilians who were captured after the fall of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. On July 1, 1942, the American submarine Sturgeon fired four torpedoes, sinking the vessel in less than 10 minutes, killing 1,080 people from 14 nations, including 979 Australians. Silentworld director, John Mullen, said that today, by finding the vessel, they hope to bring closure to the many families devastated by this terrible disaster.