Underwater Camera Captures First-Ever Images of Japanese WWII Warship
Researchers used remotely operated cameras to discover the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Teruzuki, a famed WWII warship that had gone undocumented and unseen since it was sunk by U.S. torpedoes 83 years ago.
In a press release released on Saturday, the Ocean Exploration Trust confirmed the discovery of Teruzuki, which sank in late 1942. Using the remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) Hercules and Atalanta, guided by sonar data from the University of New Hampshire’s uncrewed surface vessel DriX, researchers were able to locate the wreck more than 2,600 feet beneath the ocean’s surface near the Solomon Islands.
The discovery is especially significant as Teruzuki had never been photographed before, and no known images of the ship existed until now. Japanese naval designs were shrouded in secrecy during World War II, and no photographs or visual records of Teruzuki were ever released. The discovery provides the first-ever images of the destroyer, making it an extraordinary glimpse into a long-hidden chapter of naval history.
“Lying on the seabed at over 800 meters in the Solomon Islands, this is the first time anyone has laid eyes on Teruzuki since it was sunk in WWII’s naval battles off Guadalcanal,” the Ocean Exploration Trust says in the release.
The 440-foot-long destroyer was found by the remotely operated cameras split in two, with its stern resting 656 feet away from the hull. Scientists also noted that the wreck still contains highly volatile munitions, even after more than 80 years underwater.
Commissioned in 1942, Teruzuki — which translates to “Shining Moon” or “Illuminated Moon” — was in service for just three months before it sank. The Akizuki-class destroyer was built to protect aircraft carriers from air attacks, but was lost during a surface battle at night.
The ship took part in the intense naval fighting around Guadalcanal, one of the Solomon Islands, in November 1942 under Rear Admiral Raizou Tanaka, whom U.S. forces called “Tenacious Tanaka.” On December 12, 1942, while escorting supply ships for Japanese troops, Teruzuki was hit in the stern by American torpedoes. The explosion set the ship on fire and left it disabled. Most of the crew, including Tanaka, survived, but nine sailors were killed.
“I feel so lucky to see this ship. The fact that we have not seen Teruzuki in over 80 years underscores the importance of recording maritime heritage now,” Hiroshi Ishii, a Nautilus science team member from Kyoto University, tells Interesting Engineering in a statement.
“As a Japanese person, I appreciate the opportunity to witness part of our history and to be part of an international team shedding light on this campaign, which is important to all of our nations’ history.”
The discovery comes after researchers sent a remotely operated camera inside a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that was sunk in the Pacific Ocean during World War II and were stunned to find a mysterious car inside the wreck.
Image credits: All photos by Ocean Exploration Trust.
