Historic Japanese WWII wreck off Darwin coast examined for first time

A Japanese submarine sunk off the coast of Darwin during WWII will be examined for the first time since it was destroyed in 1942. See the pictures here.

Divers will examine a Japanese WWII submarine sunk off the coast of Darwin in 1942 for the first time. Picture: Supplied

Divers will examine a Japanese submarine sunk off the coast of Darwin during WWII for the first time since it was destroyed in 1942, killing 80 crew members on board.

The I-24 submarine was part of an Imperial Japanese Navy squadron covertly laying mines in waters between Darwin and Bathurst Island when it was sunk by the HMAS Deloraine in 1942.

The Royal Australian Navy deployed the ship, which detonated dozens of depth chargers to sink the sub, after a failed attack on a US oil tanker.

All 80 Japanese crew members died and remain entombed in the submarine 50m below the surface.

A virtual reality dive of the site was done in October 2021 to create images of the submarine, with the wreck the first in Australian waters to be protected under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976, which was replaced by the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act in 2018.

An image of a Japanese WWII submarine sunk in 1942 created during a virtual dive. Picture: Supplied

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Chansey Paech said the expedition would reveal new information about one of the Territory’s most important maritime history sites.

“By sending experts down to the wreck, we give ourselves the best chance to get the most accurate picture of what happened 80 years ago, and the condition of the wreck today,” he said.

“This expedition is critical to understanding the role that the Northern Territory played in the defence of Australia during the WWII, and will help inform how we protect and maintain this important historic site, now and into the future.”

Divers will examine a Japanese sub sunk in 1942 for the first time since it was destroyed. Picture: Supplied

An expedition crew of archaeologists, technical divers, a film maker and a cultural liaison officer from the Australian-Japanese Association of the Northern Territory will leave Darwin on Wednesday morning, in the hope of using the trip to better inform future research and site management.

A documentary of the expedition, which is jointly funded by the Territory Government and the federal government’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Program.

The film will be released on the bombing of Darwin anniversary next year.

Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek hoped the expedition would provide new information about how to care for the site.

“These events during the Second World War were a pivotal moment in the history of modern Australia, shaping the lives of all those living at the time,” she said.

“As well as an important site for Australia, we need to reflect on the historical significance of this site for the Japanese people – with whom we share a warm relationship today.”

Originally published as Historic Japanese WWII wreck off Darwin coast examined for first time