New details about 3 iconic shipwrecks from WWII's Battle of Midway discovered

For the first time, researchers have captured detailed images of three iconic shipwrecks from World War II’s Battle of Midway, including close-ups of a Japanese aircraft carrier.

The deep-sea exploration discovered new details about the three shipwrecks that could help researchers better understand the critical turning point in World War II.

The three shipwrecks were recently explored by a crew aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, according to the Ocean Exploration Trust, a non-profit organisation dedicated to seafloor exploration.

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Three World War II ships surveyed for the first time since 1942

The group said that on September 10, a team spent 14 hours surveying Akagi, the Japanese Imperial Navy's carrier, noting it was "the first time anyone has laid eyes on the vessel since sinking during June 1942's Battle of Midway." The vessel was initially located during a mapping survey in 2019.

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The two ships were the Japanese Imperial Navy’s Kaga and the USS Yorktown. The Yorktown was first located 25 years ago during a joint US Navy and National Geographic Society expedition led by Robert Ballard, the founder of Ocean Exploration Trust.

The crew used remote-controlled vessels to film the shipwrecks. Over 100 experts from the US, Japan and across the globe were connected to ship operations with video tech, “helping guide the mission and providing valuable real-time interpretations throughout the surveys.”

The expedition team said it completed "non-invasive visual surveys" of the wrecks during three deployments below 5,100 meters. The group said the mission marked the deepest remotely operated vehicle dive that the E/V Nautilus has ever completed.

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"During over 43 hours at depth, we methodically circumnavigated these historic wrecks, bringing to light many features in great detail, including their armament, battle, and sinking-related damage," Daniel Wagner, the chief scientist for the Ocean Exploration Trust, said in a news release. "Many anti-aircraft guns were still pointing up, providing clues about the final moments on these iconic ships."

Battle of Midway

The Battle of Midway took place in June 1942 and went on for several days, about 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu.

The Japanese Navy aimed to expand its reach in the Pacific Ocean by launching an attack on a US base on Midway Atoll, a small group of islands that were of strategic importance.

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US forces broke down the Japanese Navy’s code to prepare a counterattack, which ultimately devastated its fleet and helped America gain prominence in the Pacific, as per the Naval History and Heritage Command.

During this conflict between the two countries, seven major ships were sunk, including Akagi, Kaga and Yorktown.

(With inputs from agencies)

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