10 Jan, 2010, Australia

An Australian World War II hospital ship- the Centaur has been seen for the first time since it sank for more than 60 years ago with a loss of 268 lives. The Images of the wreck, more than 2km below the sea, were captured by a remote-controlled underwater camera. The ship’s location was discovered last month following a hi-tech search.

Australia says that the ship went down in May 1943 and was torpedoed by the Japanese. Japan says that the circumstances surrounding its sinking are unclear.

The search team found the ship on 20 December off the Queensland coast, about 30 miles due east of the southern tip of Moreton Island. The Favourable conditions allowed the crew to send down a camera on a remotely-operated submersible vehicle over the weekend. Further the dives are planned.

The wreck was found leaning over towards its port side at an angle of approximately 25 degrees and the bow is almost completely severed from the rest of the hull in the area where the single torpedo hit. Although the wreck is very badly damaged, characteristic markings and features that identify the wreck as the Centaur were clearly visible. Among the identifying features revealed by the camera were the large red crosses marked on each side of the bow. The Images also showed the number 47, which designated the vessel as Australian Hospital Ship 47.

An apology has been demanded from the Japanese government, but a statement from the country’s embassy in Canberra said the details surrounding the sinking were inconclusive. Of the 332 people on the ship, only 64 survived. Eleven of the 12 nurses on board died.