Explorers find WWII shipwreck of SS Montevideo Maru on which nearly 1,000 Australians died

Deep-sea explorers have found the long-lost shipwreck from World War II Japanese transport ship, the SS Montevideo Maru which was involved in Australia’s most deadly maritime disaster, said the team on Saturday (April 22). The transport ship carrying nearly 1,000 Australian prisoners of war and mostly soldiers, was unknowingly torpedoed by a United States submarine.

“The discovery of the Montevideo Maru closes a terrible chapter in Australian military and maritime history,” said John Mullen, director of the Silentworld Foundation, a maritime archaeology group. The ship was sunk on July 1, 1942, when it was en route to what is now Papua New Guinea to China’s Hainan off the coast of the Philippines.

Mullen added, “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.”

Notably, the location of the wreck had remained a mystery for over 80 years and was found at a depth of more than four kilometres, said the organisation. The foundation had spent at least five years planning the mission in collaboration with the Dutch deep-sea surveying company Fugro and the Australian Department of Defence.

The search went on for nearly 12 days and was conducted using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in the South China Sea. It was days later that the team detected a positive sighting using sonar at four kilometres which was a greater depth than the Titanic.

The sinking of the Japanese transport ship was one of the worst maritime disasters in Australia as the ship carrying over 1,000 passengers also comprised at least 979 Australian citizens including some 850 soldiers. Additionally, the ship was also carrying civilians from 13 other countries while the number of prisoners killed was about 1,060.

According to the foundation, the Montevideo Maru included 33 crew from the Norwegian freighter the Herstein and about 20 Japanese guards and crew who also lost their lives that day. They also believe that the ship was hit by two torpedoes as it had split into two sections, with the bow and stern lying about 500 metres apart on the seabed.

After the discovery, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to Twitter and wrote, “At long last, the resting place of the lost souls of the Montevideo Maru has been found. Among the 1,060 prisoners on board were 850 Australian service members – their lives cut short.”

He added, “The extraordinary effort behind this discovery speaks for the enduring truth of Australia’s solemn national promise to always remember and honour those who served our country. We hope today’s news brings a measure of comfort to loved ones who have kept a long vigil.”

Notably, the findings also come ahead of the commemorations for Anzac Day on April 25, a day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand for their troops killed in all military conflict. Meanwhile, the foundation has also said that the site of the shipwreck will remain undisturbed and no artefacts or human remains will be removed from the seabed, out of respect for the families of those who perished.

(With inputs from agencies)

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