MANILA: A US navy destroyer sunk during World War II has been found almost 7, 000m beneath sea level off the Philippines, making it the particular world’s deepest shipwreck ever located, an American exploration team mentioned.
The USS Samuel N Roberts went down during a battle off the main island of Samar on Oct 25, 1944 as US forces fought in order to liberate the Philippines – then an ALL OF US colony – from Japanese occupation.
A crewed submersible filmed, photographed plus surveyed the battered hull of the “Sammy B” during a series of dives over eight days this 30 days, Texas-based undersea technology company Caladan Oceanic said.
Pictures showed the ship’s three-tube torpedo launcher and gun attach.
“Resting in 6, 895 meters, it is now the deepest shipwreck ever located and surveyed, ” tweeted Caladan Oceanic founder Victor Vescovo, who piloted the submersible.
“This small ship got on the finest from the Japanese Navy, fighting them to the end, ” he said.
According to US Navy records, Sammy B’s crew “floated for almost three days awaiting rescue, with many survivors perishing from wounds and shark attacks”. Of the 224 team, 89 died.
The battle was part of the larger Fight of Leyte, which usually saw intense fighting over several times between US and Japanese forces.
Sammy B had been one of four ALL OF US ships sunk in the Oct 25 engagement.
The USS Johnston, which from nearly 6, 500 metres was previously the world’s deepest shipwreck identified, was attained by Vescovo’s team in 2021.
In the latest research, the team also looked for the USS Gambier Bay on more than 7, 1000 metres below ocean level, but was unable to locate it.
It did not search for the USS Hoel due to the lack of dependable data showing where it may have been down.
The damage of the Titanic lies in about 4, 000m of water.
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