This ship in 1969 was carrying steel off the coast of New South Wales, ran into a fierce storm, sent out a distress signal and disappeared. All possible forces were mobilized to find him, one of the largest sea search missions ever undertaken in Australia.
Royal Australian Navy destroyers, destroyers, planes, helicopters and dozens of other vessels launched a massive search, while rescuers scoured the shores for any sign of survivors.
During 12 hours at sea, rescuers managed to find two men in two separate life rafts and three others clinging to a wooden board, according to local media.
The fate of the remaining crew and the ship itself has been a mystery ever since.
The Australian Science Agency confirmed the location of the shipwreck using high-resolution seabed maps and video footage, it was announced on Wednesday.
According to the BBC, locals first spotted the wreck years ago in deep waters off the South West Rocks coast, about 460km north of Sydney, and reported its coordinates to authorities.
There had long been suspicions that it might be the MV Noongah, but there was no technology or the necessary diving knowledge needed to identify the vessel.
But last month, a high-tech vessel belonging to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) was dispatched for further investigation.
The team is said to have found the sunken ship, largely intact and standing vertically on the seabed, 170m below the surface.
The researchers determined that all the main dimensions of the vessel corresponded to the dimensions of the MV Noongah.
The Sydney Project, which is involved in finding and documenting missing ships, is planning a diving mission to collect additional images from the site and use them to understand why the ship sank.
“This tragedy has struck a chord with many members of the community,” CSIRO spokesman Matt Kimber told the BBC. “Hopefully knowing where the ship is resting will help everyone come to terms with it a little.”
The surviving crew members told an Australian broadcaster that the discovery was a relief.
“I thought about it all the time,” said Captain Leo Boatsman’s widow, Pamela Hendy.
Source: www.15min.lt
