Explorers have found the deepest shipwreck ever identified, a US navy destroyer sunk during World War Two.
The USS Samuel B Roberts went down during the Battle of Leyte Gulf off the Philippines’ coast in October 1944. It lies in 6,895m (4.28 miles) of water.
Texan billionaire and adventurer Victor Vescovo, who owns a deep-diving submersible, found the “Sammy B” in two parts, separated by 100m.
The vessel is famed for a heroic final stand against the Japanese.
Outnumbered and outgunned, it managed to contain and frustrate several enemy ships before finally going down.
Of the Samuel B Roberts’ 224-man crew, 89 were killed. The 120 survivors had to cling to life rafts for 50 hours before being rescued.
Mr Vescovo said: “It was an extraordinary honour to locate this incredibly famous ship, and by doing so have the chance to retell her story of heroism and duty to those who may not know of the ship and her crew’s sacrifice.”
This was originally Published at BBC
