Australia finds shipwreck 55 years after deadly disaster

Australia finds shipwreck 55 years after deadly disaster
Australia finds shipwreck 55 years after deadly disaster

We show you our most important and recent visitors news details Australia finds shipwreck 55 years after deadly disaster in the following article

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - SYDNEY — Fifty-five years after it sank, killing 21 men, Australia has found the shipwreck of the MV Noongah.

The 71m (233ft) freighter was carrying steel off the coast of New South Wales when it ran into stormy weather in 1969, sparking one of the biggest maritime searches in Australian history.

Five of the 26 crewmen were plucked from the water in the hours after the vessel sank, but only one body was ever recovered from those lost at sea.

The location of the wreck has now been confirmed by Australia's science agency, using high-resolution seafloor mapping and video footage.

Only minutes after sending a distress signal on 25 August, the ship had sunk in heavy seas.

Royal Australian Navy destroyers, minesweepers, planes, helicopters and a number of other vessels launched a massive search, as rescue crews also combed the shore for any sign of survivors.

Over the next 12 hours, they found two men at sea in two separate life rafts, and three more clinging to a plank of wood, according to local media.

The fate of the rest of the crew and the ship itself have been a mystery ever since.

Locals first spotted a wreck years ago - in deep water off the coast of South West Rocks, about 460km (286 miles) north of Sydney - and reported its coordinates to authorities.

There have long been suspicions that it may be the Noongah, but the technology or diving knowledge needed to identify the ship was not available.

But last month, a high-tech ship owned by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was sent to investigate further.

They found the wreck, largely intact and sitting upright on the sea floor, 170m below the surface. All its key dimensions matched the Noongah, the CSIRO said.

The Sydney Project - which finds and documents the wrecks of lost ships - is now planning a dive to collect additional vision from the site, in the hope of shedding light on why the ship sank.

“This tragedy is still very much in the memory of many in the community,” CSIRO's Matt Kimber said.

“We hope that knowing the resting place of the vessel brings some closure for all.”

Surviving family members of the crew told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the discovery is a relief.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind,” Pamela Hendy, the widow of captain Leo Botsman, said. — BBC


These were the details of the news Australia finds shipwreck 55 years after deadly disaster for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.

It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Saudi Gazette and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.

PREV Netanyahu falsely claims there have been ‘practically’ no civilian fatalities in Rafah
NEXT US military raises alert level for Europe bases: reports

Author Information

I am Joshua Kelly and I focus on breaking news stories and ensuring we (“Al-KhaleejToday.NET”) offer timely reporting on some of the most recent stories released through market wires about “Services” sector. I have formerly spent over 3 years as a trader in U.S. Stock Market and is now semi-stepped down. I work on a full time basis for Al-KhaleejToday.NET specializing in quicker moving active shares with a short term view on investment opportunities and trends. Address: 838 Emily Drive Hampton, SC 29924, USA Phone: (+1) 803-887-5567 Email: [email protected]