They find a ship that sank in World War II with 1,000 prisoners

() — A Japanese merchant ship that sank during World War II while carrying more than 1,000 prisoners of war has been found, in Australia’s biggest loss of life at sea.

The Montevideo Maru was discovered off the northwest coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines at a depth of more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) in the South China Sea, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles confirmed in a video he posted. this Saturday from his Twitter account.

The discovery ended “one of the most tragic chapters in Australia’s maritime history,” he said.

The ship was carrying approximately 1,060 prisoners from around 16 countries, including 850 Australian service members, from the former Australian territory of New Guinea to what was then the Japanese-occupied island of Hainan when a US submarine torpedoed and sank the ship, which had not been marked as a prisoner of war transport – on July 1, 1942.

“The absence of a location for the Montevideo Maru represented a pending issue for the families of those who lost their lives,” explained Marles.

Australian authorities praised those who had been involved in the search, including deep-sea survey specialists and members of the Australian armed forces, and thanked them for providing closure to those who lost loved ones 81 years earlier.

“I want to thank the Silentworld team and the dedicated researchers, including the Army’s Unrecovered War Casualties team, who never gave up hope of finding the final resting place of the Montevideo Maru,” said Australian Army Chief Lt. General Simon Stuart.

“A loss like this spans decades and reminds us all of the human cost of the conflict. Lest we forget,” Stuart added.

“The extraordinary effort behind this discovery speaks to the enduring truth of Australia’s solemn national pledge to always remember and honor those who served our country. This is the heart and spirit of Lest We Forget.” wrote Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese