[HMAS]Sydney yields secrets of its ocean grave (First photos of wreck)

The Australian ^ | 5 Apr 08 | Elizabeth Gosch and Mark Dodd

[GATOR NAVY]

THE legendary Australian warship HMAS Sydney has loomed out of the deep, dark blue of the Indian Ocean to be captured on film for the first time in almost 67 years.

Finding Sydney Foundation director Glenys McDonald recalled the stunned silence inside the packed survey room of the SV Geosounder which early yesterday flashed images back to the world.

"All we could see was a blue screen with a bright light and the occasional fish," she said yesterday. "Then there was a shadow, and, almost immediately, HMAS Sydney appeared in front of us.

"It's almost impossible to convey to you the depth of feeling in that room as we watched in awe as the stern of Sydney and her X turret came into view."

After battling big swells and technical delays, the research vessel finally captured the first footage of the wreck and will soon move on to film the German raider HSK Kormoran, which sank it in November 1941. The images show the Sydney - upright and largely intact - in intricate, eerie detail. The Geosounder has been floating above the wreck for almost a week waiting out rough seas and struggling to fix the remotely operated vehicle that was to carry the camera to the wreck between 2450m and 2700m below the surface, 112nm west of Steep Point, 800km north of Perth.

[GATOR NAVY]

Link to the photo gallery is on the top right of the page. Fascinating pics.

[AnAmericanMother]

Amazing story.

The wreck is probably too deep for any but the most expensive salvage operation (or, thankfully, any wreckers).

[reagan_fanatic]