Wreck of HMAS Sydney found
Source; ABC
The group searching for HMAS Sydney has found the wreckage of the World War II Australian warship off the coast of Western Australia, the ABC has confirmed.
The breakthrough by the Finding Sydney Foundation comes less than 24 hours after it announced it had located the wreckage of the German raider Kormoran, which also sank after a battle with the Sydney in November 1941.
The Sydney's entire crew of 645 went down with the ship in the Indian Ocean and its location has been a mystery for 66 years.
The Australian ship was last seen badly damaged and steaming over the horizon after the exchange of gunfire with the Kormoran, which also sank after the battle.
Members of the crew on the research ship the Geosounder found the Kormoran using sonar technology and were confident of locating the Sydney.
The wreckage of the Kormoran was found about 100 nautical miles off Steep Point, more than two kilometres below the ocean's surface, and the Sydney was found just 10 nautical miles west.
Chief executive officer of the Finding Sydney Foundation Bob Trotter says although the experts have been working in very deep water, they can be sure of their findings.
"Very sure. David Mann's our project director on the water out there, has done this about 30 times before in very deep water and he's probably the world's best at finding manmade objects at the bottom of the sea in very deep water," he said.
Relatives react
Royce Laycock was son of an engine stoker who worked on the ship and was only four when his father died.
"It's good news to know that they've found the ship, because you really didn't realise or know what happened," he said.
"I've read all the books and stories and publications over the 66 years, and it's just good news."
The son of another sailor who died on the Sydney, Bob Honour, says it is an important discovery.
"It's been a 66-year wait. Why?" he said. "Because they were trying to hide something? I don't know, I have no idea, I don't really care now. I'm happy to think they have found it after so long."
Lee O'Neill's father also went down with the ship, and he says he hopes the finding will bring closure to the families.
"I've always wondered how a ship like that could lose all men," he said.
"I've read so many books on it and heard so many different stories and spoken to people. Things to me just don't add up. I realise it won't bring him back and I accept that, but I just want to know what happened."
Even before an official announcement, federal politicians are having their say about how the discovery site should be commemorated.
Coalition backbencher Bruce Scott says the wreck of the Sydney should be left as a permanent war grave.
"It should be left with all on board to rest in peace. And the same with the Kormoran," he said.
"It's a war grave and it should be left as other ships have around the world from the First and Second World Wars - on the sea bed.
"I think that's the way the sailors who went down with the Sydney would like to think it was that way as well, particularly the families."
Naval Association spokesman Les Dywer says it was a major discovery.
"[I am] absolutely excited that they've finally unravelled the resting place of one of the greatest naval mysteries ever," he said.