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Australian wreck mystery probed | Australian wreck mystery probed |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An inquiry is under way in Australia into one of the country's great unsolved mysteries from World War II. | An inquiry is under way in Australia into one of the country's great unsolved mysteries from World War II. |
The 1941 sinking of HMAS Sydney caused the greatest ever loss of life in an Australian warship. | |
After a 67-year search, the wreckage of the ship was discovered two months ago off the coast of Western Australia. | After a 67-year search, the wreckage of the ship was discovered two months ago off the coast of Western Australia. |
But historians are no closer to finding out how such a sophisticated vessel was sunk by a German merchant ship sailing under a false flag. | |
The Sydney was the largest ship from any country during World War II to go down with all hands - 645 sailors died. | |
The German vessel, the Kormoran, also sank, but 317 of the 390 crew on board survived, rowing to the Australian coast where they became prisoners of war. | The German vessel, the Kormoran, also sank, but 317 of the 390 crew on board survived, rowing to the Australian coast where they became prisoners of war. |
One of the main questions for naval historians is why such a well-armed cruiser engaged a German merchant ship at such close range. | |
The wreckage of the ship was found earlier this year | The wreckage of the ship was found earlier this year |
One theory is that the Germans lured the ship in by pretending to offer surrender and then opened fire. | One theory is that the Germans lured the ship in by pretending to offer surrender and then opened fire. |
Another long-standing theory is that a Japanese submarine also torpedoed the Sydney - even though Japan had not yet entered the war. | Another long-standing theory is that a Japanese submarine also torpedoed the Sydney - even though Japan had not yet entered the war. |
Some have also suggested that German sailors opened fire on the Australians as they struggled for survival in the water. | Some have also suggested that German sailors opened fire on the Australians as they struggled for survival in the water. |
The head of the commission of inquiry, Sir Terence Cole, said he planned to travel to Germany to interview survivors from the Kormoran. | The head of the commission of inquiry, Sir Terence Cole, said he planned to travel to Germany to interview survivors from the Kormoran. |
He also plans to interview Australian sailors who sailed with the Sydney on previous missions. | He also plans to interview Australian sailors who sailed with the Sydney on previous missions. |
More Australians died on board the Sydney than in Korea or Vietnam, and he said no country could allow such a loss to remain unexplained. | More Australians died on board the Sydney than in Korea or Vietnam, and he said no country could allow such a loss to remain unexplained. |
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