Brazilian Navy completes high-resolution survey of World War II shipwreck off Rio de Janeiro

The Brazilian Navy has completed conducting a high-resolution survey of the wreck of a troop transport ship that was sunk in World War II off the coast of Rio De Janeiro.

The final resting place of the troop transport Vital de Oliveira approximately 65 kilometres off Rio De Janeiro was first discovered by two local divers in 2011.

The ship's identity remained unknown until earlier this year, when a group of maritime archaeologists aboard an oceanographic research vessel used multibeam and side-scan sonars to confirm the wreck as that of Vital de Oliveira.

Originally built in 1910, the ship entered Brazilian Navy service in 1931. It was used as a transport and as a supply vessel and operated in Brazil's coastal waters.

Vital de Oliveira sank on the night of July 19, 1944 after being struck by a torpedo fired by the German submarine U-861. One hundred of the ship's crew were killed in the attack.

Named after a famed Brazilian Navy officer and hydrography pioneer, Vital de Oliveira is one of three Brazilian Navy ships that were sunk in World War II, as well as the only one to be lost as a result of enemy action.

The recent high-resolution surveys were conducted using a Brazilian Navy hydrographic research vessel, which is coincidentally also named Vital de Oliveira.

Acoustic images of the wreck were captured using a multibeam echosounder and a sidescan sonar. Among other things, the images provided clues about the ship's condition and structural integrity despite having lain on the seabed for over 80 years.

Data gathered during the surveys will aid in future conservation efforts to help preserve the wreck. The data may also be used to create 3D models to permit additional structural analysis.