‘Deepest shipwreck dive’ reaches US WWII ship off Philippines

via The Straits Times, 04 April 2021: The world’s deepest shipwreck dive is currently for a World War II ship off Samar Island in the Philippines.

A US navy destroyer sunk during World War II and lying nearly 6,500 metres below sea level off the Philippines has been reached in the world’s deepest shipwreck dive, an American exploration team said.

A crewed submersible filmed, photographed and surveyed the wreckage of the USS Johnston off Samar Island during two eight-hour dives completed late last month, Texas-based undersea technology company Caladan Oceanic said. The 115m-long ship was sunk on Oct 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf as US forces fought to liberate the Philippines – then a US colony – from Japanese occupation.

Its location in the Philippine Sea was discovered in 2019 by another expedition group, but most of the wreckage was beyond the reach of their remotely-operated vehicle.

Source: ‘Deepest shipwreck dive’ reaches US WWII ship off Philippines, SE Asia News & Top Stories – The Straits Times

See also:

• The world’s deepest shipwreck is mapped for the first time: Submarine reaches US WWII destroyer FOUR MILES below the surface after it was sunk with 186 aboard | The Daily Mail, 03 Apr 2021