Explorers find WWII wreck on which nearly 1,000 Australians died

Japan’s SS Montevideo Maru was sunk in 1942 by a US submarine unaware that more than 1,000 prisoners of war were onboard.

The vessel was found at a depth of more than 4 km (2.5 miles), the maritime archaeology group Silentworld Foundation, which organised the mission, said on Saturday.

The sinking of the Montevideo Maru was Australia’s worst maritime disaster, killing an estimated 979 Australian citizens including at least 850 soldiers. Civilians from 13 other countries were also on board, the foundation said, bringing the total number of prisoners killed to about 1,060.