April 1, 2009 -- The wreck of the first U.S. ship sunk during World War II has been revealed in detail for the first time on the seabed off southeastern Australia, researchers said Wednesday. Images of the merchant vessel City of Rayville, which was sunk in 1940 by a German mine, were taken by state-of-the-art sonar technology and remotely operated vehicles, Deakin University scientists said. "It was very exciting to see the City of Rayville for the first time," said lead researcher Daniel Ierodiaconou. The wreck could possibly still contain the remains of the first U.S. sailor to die in the war -- more than a year before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the conflict, Ierodiaconou said. The City of Rayville was en route to Melbourne when it struck a mine in a newly-laid German minefield in the Bass Strait on Nov. 8, 1940, going down in 70 meters (230 feet) of water off Cape Otway. Related Content:
Just 24 hours earlier, the British steamer S.S. Cambridge was sunk after hitting a mine off the nearby Wilsons Promontory in Victoria state. "The approximate location (of the City of Rayville) has been fairly well known for quite some time," Ierodiaconou said. But for the first time, the team used sonar technology to develop detailed three-dimensional models of the wreck and collected video using a remotely operated vehicle, he said. All 38 crew managed to make it into lifeboats and were rescued but one went back to gather his personal belongings and went down with the ship, meaning that his remains could still be in the wreck, Ierodiaconou said. "The wreck, laying upright on its keel, with a slight list to one side," said Cassandra Philippou, a maritime archaeologist for Heritage Victoria. "A hatch cover near the stern is missing, consistent with reports that covers were blown off the hatches through the force of the explosion." The wreck, which is listed as a protected heritage site, was uncovered as part of a wider project to map Victoria's underwater environment. Related Links: Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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