Australia finds shipwreck 55 years after deadly disaster
Fifty-five years after its sinking claimed the lives of 21 men, Australia has located the wreck of the MV Noongah.
The 71-meter (233-foot) freighter was transporting steel off the coast of New South Wales when it encountered severe weather in 1969, leading to one of Australia’s largest maritime search operations.
Of the 26 crew members, five were rescued in the hours following the sinking, but only one body was recovered from the sea.
Australia’s science agency has now confirmed the wreck’s location using advanced seafloor mapping and video footage.
The ship sank just minutes after sending a distress signal on August 25 amid heavy seas.
A massive search was launched involving Royal Australian Navy destroyers, minesweepers, aircraft, helicopters, and numerous other vessels, while rescue teams also scoured the shore for survivors.
In the following 12 hours, two men were found in separate life rafts, and three more were discovered clinging to a piece of wood, according to local reports.
The fate of the remaining crew and the ship itself has remained a mystery until now.
Years ago, locals spotted a wreck in deep water off South West Rocks, approximately 460 kilometers (286 miles) north of Sydney, and reported its coordinates to authorities.
Though there had been suspicions that this wreck might be the Noongah, the necessary technology and diving expertise to confirm its identity were not available at the time.
Recently, a high-tech vessel from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was sent to investigate further.
In other maritime news, Taiwan’s Coastguard Administration reported that the freighter Fu Shun, which capsized off Taiwan’s coast, had nine Myanmar nationals on board. They also mentioned that three other foreign vessels had run aground during the typhoon but were safe.
In the Philippines, a tanker capsized in Manila Bay while en route to Iloilo, resulting in an oil spill stretching several kilometers. Officials noted that strong winds and high waves were complicating their response efforts.
They found the wreck, largely intact and sitting upright on the sea floor, 170m below the surface. All its key dimensions matched the Noongah, the CSIRO said.
The Sydney Project – which finds and documents the wrecks of lost ships – is now planning a dive to collect additional vision from the site, in the hope of shedding light on why the ship sank.
“This tragedy is still very much in the memory of many in the community,” CSIRO’s Matt Kimber said.
“We hope that knowing the resting place of the vessel brings some closure for all.”
Surviving family members of the crew told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the discovery was a relief.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind,” Pamela Hendy – the widow of Captain Leo Botsman – said.
