A team of archaeologists has located the wreck of a Japanese cargo ship that had been used to transport prisoners during the final year of World War II in the Pacific.
The wreck of the ship confirmed to be the 5,800-tonne Hofuku Maru was found at a depth of approximately 50 metres off the coast of Zambales province in the northern Philippines.
The wreck, which was found in two pieces, was identified with the aid of sonar and photogrammetry equipment by television presenter Josh Gates and the Hellships Memorial Foundation. During deepwater dives, other discoveries were made including the ship's holds, masts, and human remains strewn with the other debris.
Hofuku Maru was one of many "hell ships" that the Imperial Japanese military pressed into service during the war to transport Allied prisoners.
The ships became so-named due to the cruel and inhumane conditions to which prisoners were subjected while on board. Historical records have stated that these 130-some ships had carried more than 125,000 Allied prisoners, around 20,000 of whom would perish as a direct result of the onboard conditions.
Built in 1918, Hofuku Maru entered service shortly after the end of World War I. Although originally a cargo ship, she was initially used to transport German POWs.
The ship later served in her intended role as a cargo transport for several years until October 1941, when she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army.
Hofuku Maru was transporting British and Dutch POWs from Singapore to Borneo when she was sunk during an attack by US Navy carrier-based aircraft 130 kilometres north of the Philippines' Corregidor Island on September 20, 1944.
Of the 1,289 POWs who were on board when the ship sank, only 284 survived.
